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Episode 611: In this episode, Chris and Jeff delve into the biblical narrative of Elijah and Elisha from 2 Kings 2. They explore the profound moment when Elijah is taken up to heaven in a whirlwind, highlighting the significance of Elisha's unwavering commitment to stay by Elijah's side. The hosts discuss the prophetic knowledge that the other prophets had about Elijah's departure, pondering how they knew this information and whether it was divinely revealed.
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You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun in practical ways. Chris, Yes, Jeff, I had a morning miracle today. Wow, you you went regular? You drank coffee? No, no, no, I don't. I don't drink I don't drink coffee. That's right. Yeah, you're so weird. I know. I love the smell of the way. That's weirder than me not liking chocolate. I don't think so. But whatever, they both come from a bean. It's just I have a better one. So anyways, here's my morning miracle. On the way to the that's right on the way to the office or to the studio today. It's just over ten miles from my house to hear and I never hit a red light. Wow, No, one time. Wow. It was green lights all the way here. That's why it's such a peppy moved. I passed more than ten lights and not one of them was red. Now when did you start to notice this? From the fourth one? The fourth one? Yeah, the fourth one. And now the fact that I didn't have to stop at a red light doesn't mean I didn't have anything. I'm joking right, but no, no, there was never any red lights the whole way. It was green lights the whole Wow. You know what, today's gonna be a good day. It's gonna be a good day. So man, I feel like just that by itself means I'm gonna just bring the very best that I have where it's gonna be smooth sailing through this whole wow episode. Well, I see what it takes to bring to require your best. Right, that's right. So wow, that's that's wonderful, jeff I it's riveting for. Isn't it so exciting? It's super so I was so happy. Actually, it is a big deal. It is because when that happens to me, I think it's like one of the coolest things ever. Yeah. So, I mean, we live in the suburbs. It normally takes me like twenty minutes to go ten miles or more. It takes me long more than twenty minutes ago, so to just pop through every light, you know, it's amazing. I feel really good about it. That's that's really good. Fun, It wonderful. It's gonna be a good Well. Hey, I hope hope your day starts off and goes just as well. As Jeff's mort has no red lights today, that's right, and that's that's Oh, that's a that's symbolic. That is no red lights. Let's let's chant that to ourselves all day long. When you come up to your crabby boss, just be like, nope, no red lights, still red lights today. All right, Well, listen, we're gonna jump into a segment called Guess the word, and it is Chris will give Jeff clues. See if you can guess the word without the forbidden italicized words if you're watching on YouTube, then we're gonna hopefully put the words on the screen. And then those are the words that I cannot say. Okay, okay, are you ready? Yes, I've not looked at these so holy Christmas. Wow, this is hard. Okay, uh okay, okay, here we go. Ready, Yes, I've got the blank deep down in my heart. Joy joy, that's correct. I was not allowed to say happiness, delight, elation, rejoicing, or jubilation. The joy joy, that's down in my heart. And by the way, when we went to Costa Rica, your tango go so go, so go, so go, so me go. Yeah, I remember, I remember, Yeah, we used to do that. In Mexico. Yep, that's so funny. That's great. Okay, so, oh holy cow, Okay, here we go, ready number two, no further questions. It's your blank, your honor. Witness, witness. Wow. Wow, you watched a lot of courtroom dramas. Yes, I was not allowed to say testimony, evidence, testify, faith, or observe. Okay, well, I mean apparently you have too, because you you got the you got it. But by way I messed up. I said, it's your witness, your honor, it's your witness to the prosecuting right, yes, okay, here we go. Okay, here it goes. When I wake up in the morning and I read my Bible singularly, it is called a. Devotion, devotion the awesome, good for you, fantastic three for three, due, Yeah we are how we click? Yes we do that magic behind allowed to say commitment, dedication, worship, faithfulness, or fervor, and so obviously it was the different definition of devotion devotion, right, So how clever is that? That is great? Okay, here goes. Ready. Okay, Oh, this is a terrible movie. But it was called The Last Blank of Christ Supper. Oh you don't know this movie. The last, when I am when I am wanting to do a bad thing, it is called what sin? Yeah, but it's it's a something that's drawing me. What is that thing called temptation? Yes? Okay, I was not allowed to do You never heard of the Last Temptation of Christ? Think? So okay? I think it was like some kind of a vulgar It was terrible. Yeah, okay. So anyway, I was not allowed to say testing satan, sin, experience. Or moral Oh wow, okay, hey, we got there. That was our hardest one by far. By far yea, but we got it. Oh geez, we should. Go on a TV. We should go on a game show. We should she should Okay, last one, here, are you ready? What is the exact name of the system that is in a Tomahawk missile ensuring that it hits its target? The exact name of the system. Yeah, Uh, the Patriot missile system. Uh, Tomahawk missile. Generally that system. Spell that out? Uh what does stand for? I don't know, geographical, I don't know. I don't know what stands really. The bumpers on a bowling lane, you can say that if you throw the ball down, the bumpers do what to the ball guide. Yes, guidance, Yes, it's the guidance system. Okay, guidance system. There you go. Okay, I was not allowed to say direction, leadership, advice, support, or council. That was a good one. Good one, Chris, Well, you got us there. No, I didn't get us there. I mean I did eventually. You never you never heard of the guidance. Systems now that I think about it. But you said the Patriot What. Patriot missiles system? That's what I thought. But Patriot missiles are different than tomahawks, so yeah, there's a different thing. I just picked a missile. I don't know anything about tomahawks or other types of missiles. What are the types of missiles are there? There's a bunch of them, intercontinental, ballistic missiles, there's all kinds of missiles. Dude, are you kidding me? How do you know missiles? You don't read about global stuff. So you're scared about what's happening in the world. You just don't know what that's actually happening. We need to know the number of the name of the bullets that are in the chamber. Okay, okay, yeah, anyways, I don't know. I don't know why I know those things. I'm sure a lot of our listeners did. Smart. I'm sure they did. I'm the only dumb one here. No, that's not what I said. That is not what I said. We're selling Steven's car, and I got. A text from Steven's your son, my son. Yeah, I got a text from somebody who's buying it, and they said, hey, Huntington Bacon needs a ten day payoff. You get a ten day payoff from Huntington Bank. And I didn't know what that meant. Apparently I've never paid off alone early before. I've only had two loans of my entire life, and I paid them off normally. So apparently you called Hunting's bank and you say, what would it cost me to do a ten day payoff? They give you that figure because they admortized out to that next ten days. Correct, Yeah, okay, interest you all that? But that is a common phrase. Yes, Now, how would somebody know this unless they've experienced. This, because that's true, right right? So anyway, so now I'm the dumb one. So you're just guessing numbers. I think thirty seven fifty. No, I don't know what you meant. I go, are you saying that I have to pay this off in ten days, and because because you know, I could do that, but just let me know. And she's like, no, no, just get a ten day payoff. I'm like, I don't know what this means. So I literally text her back and I go, I am, I said, I I don't think I understand. I am too dumb to understand what you are saying. No, I said, explain to me like a child. And then she called me and she goes, you never heard that before? And I go, how would I have ever heard anybody talk about this? So funny? Okay, so I am the dumb one today. No you're not. It's okay, No, you're not. You know, I don't like you. You're the one, like nice Jeff. You're the one that you're the one who led us through the normal jet. Dude, I didn't have any red lights today. I am not normal Jeff today. I'm amazing Jeff today. Yeah, that's so funny. I used a nice jets speaking of No, you're not speaking of. Amazing, Jeff. Elijah was pretty amazing, and the way he went back to heaven was even more amazing. Wow that speaking of amazing Jeff, he did two things there. Yeah, Elijah amazing, Jeff. Elijah was also amazed, pretty amazing. Pretty Elijah was pretty amazing. Amazing. That is great. And it takes one to know one. You know my word? Wow sod. Second King's chapter two, If You're If you're a newer listener, A few weeks ago, we started trying to have like the worst transitions from yes, our chit chat at the beginning, by the way to the I didn't tell you. I was in a restaurant and a young lady came up to me in her twenties I think, and she said, hey, Pastor Chris. She just recognized me. She said, just tell Jeff that I think that your terrible transitions are better than his. What. No, by the way, I think she was just trying. To she just has bad taste. No, no, no, you know who you are. I honestly think she was trying to just say something to me. Be there no red lights today, Chris. But however, I think what she was really trying to say is is that she likes our terrible transition. Good good good, So okay, so there it is. Second Kings Chapter two, Verse one says when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to Heaven in a whirlwind. Elijah and Elisha. Remember, he went and got Elisha to help him. Wait where are you in Second Kings chapter two. Oh that's right, we're striching. We're going backwards. Yeah, that's right. Okay, go ahead. When the Lord is about to take Elijah up to Heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal, got it. Remember Elijah went and got Elisha to help him. Yeah, God get told him go do three things, and one of them must go get Alishah the right. But Elisha replied, as surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you. Oh I'm sorry, Elijah said, Elisha, stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Bethel. But Elisha replied, as surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you. So they went down together to Bethel. The group of prophets from Bethel came to Elishah and asked him, do you know what the Lord is going to take your master away from you today? Of course I know, Elisha answered, but be quiet about it. Then Elijah said to Elisha, stay here for the Lord has told me to go to Jericho. But Elisha replied again, as surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you. So they went on together to Jericho. Then the group of prophets from Jericho came to Elisha and asked him, did you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today? Of course I know, Elisha answered, but be quiet about it. Then Elijah and Elisha. Elijah said to Elishah, stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to the Jordan River. But again Elisha replied, as surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you. So they went on together. Fifty men from the group of prophets also went and watched from a distance as Elijah and Elishah stopped beside the Jordan River. Then Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it. The water divided, and the two of them went across on dry ground. When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, tell me what I can do for you before I'm taken away. And Elijah replied, please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become your successor. You've asked a difficult thing, Elijah applied. If you see me when I'm taken from you, then you will get your request, But if not, then you won't. As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. It drove between the two men, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven. Elijhah saw it and cried out, my father, my father, I see the chariots and cherio tears of Israel. And as they disappeared from sight, Elisha tore his clothes in distress. Elishah picked up Elijah's cloak, which had fallen when he was taken up. Then Elisha returned to the bank of the Jordan River, and he struck the water with Elijah's cloak and cried out, where's the Lord, the God of Elijah. Then the river divided and Elisha went across. When the group of prophets from Jericho saw from a distance what happened, they exclaimed, Elijah's spirit rests upon Elisha, and they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. Sir, They said, just say the Word, and fifty of our strongest men will search the wilderness for your master. Perhaps the spirit of the Lord has left him on some mountain or on some valley. No, Alisha said, don't send them, but they kept urging him until they shamed him into agreeing, and he finally said, all right, send them. So fifty men searched for three days but did not find Elijah. Elisha was still at Jericho when they returned. Didn't they tell you not to go? He asked, Wow, yeah, wow, so there you go? So yeah, there you go. So apparently they knew a day that God was planning on taking Elijah. I guess so, uh, because it just. Starts by saying, when the Lord was about to take Elijah to Heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha, we're traveling from Gilgal and they said, and then apparently everybody else knew too, right, right, So the. Prophet in in Jericho, because it says the prophets were the ones that came and said, don't you know now? I almost wonder if now you know, it's not like I'm a it's not like I know every inch of the Bible. Hopefully that's the goal in life. But is there a place that maybe perhaps you know, because we're only reading highlights of the Old Testament, is there a place where this was announced that we met perhaps maybe. Over all these groups of prophets. Yeah, like, did God announce like surely on this day? You know it's this is going to happen? Because how did everybody know? It was just one of those things. Because they're prophets, I guess so I think, so. Well that's what I was meaning by just one of those things. Yeah, I think so okay, yeah you yeah, Well because I don't remember seeing any announcement. Yeah, I mean, because listen here, I'm under the belief, I'm under the firm belief actually that it's not. God's not obligated to tell us absolutely every detail he does, right, so therefore you know, like uh, and by the way, this this brings up a whole noother topic. I think I've told you this before, like when people preach this passage. For instance, if a preacher got up there and said, let me tell you how the prophets knew they knew by divine revelation or something like this, right, well better it would be better if you said, most likely they knew by divine revelation, right, because we don't know for sure. It very well could be that God did make an announcement that wasn't recorded. That's what I'm trying to say, right, it could. Be we can all get to that would be revelation. Oh yeah, of course. But yeah, but I'm meaning, you know, just through just through, uh. Sure, saying things that the Bible doesn't say, is what you're yes, you're saying. It's so I instead of connecting the doctor. Yeah. I remember one time going up to a pastor and he said, do you want to know why the woman touched his cloak or touched jesus cloak? And he said, you know why? Jesus turned around. He was trying to answer the wise and I I approached him afterwards and I said, how could you possibly know the intent when it's not recorded? And he said, well, according to Jewish custom. And I was like, so that doesn't give you the right or he actually gives nobody the right to say I know exactly what Jesus was thinking at the time. I said, you can't say that. I said, so as a preacher, just say most likely or it's or you know, hey, some scholars would believe or maybe it's possible, right, So I would just say, you know, so. They very clearly knew here, they knew, and the only way they could have known would have been how. Either number one an announcement by God audibly or number two they just knew in their spirit because they were. Prophets, fifty prophets of who of God, So it would have been divine revelation either way. Either way, they couldn't have known any other way. Fifty in Bethel, fifty in Jericho. Yeah, but my question was was it was it announced to God? Yeah, there's nowhere in the Bible where there's an announcement, but clearly he was informing these fifty in Bethel and fifteen in Jericho. He's affirming it. Anyways. The bigger issue is Elijah or Elijhah refused to leave Elijah. Elijah was like, because Elijah doesn't know what's going to happen. He just knows today's the day and uh. And it could have been Elijah's acting like I don't want you to see me die. Right, but he's covering some ground, dude. To go from Bethel down to Jericho is a long ways. Yeah, and then that area is pretty hot, right, so he's he's covering some ground. You know, if you were dying today, I don't know that you'd walk from one city to another city, then cross the river right, and then in that area by the way, this is really interesting. There's something special about this, and I don't know what it is. The highest point that you can see from that spot as far as I know I've been, there is Mountain Nebo where Moses ascended back to Heaven. This is the same area where Joshua brought the people across on dragground at the Jordan River. And this is the same place Elijah goes back to Heaven. Same honestly, it's within all within view right of the same spot. And then this is the same place that John the Baptist was baptizing and where Jesus got baptized, all at the same spot, within within just a few miles. Now, how do we know that? Just based on where they were, based on biblical descriptions, and based on the fact that when you're standing on Mountain Nebo, right there is Jericho and that's where John the Baptist was baptizing. That's where Joshua led the people across that's where Jesus got baptized. And there's there's several shrines, there's a couple of churches, there's all these things commemorating the plane. There's you kind of come out of the river valley spot. There's just a little hill. It's not a big hill, but a little hill kind of like probably the limits of the banks of the river. And then it flattens off into a plane and then it pops up into the mountains from there. In this little plain is where Elijah ascended back to Heaven. Wow. Right, so it all happens in the same this corridor. For some reason, lots of miracles happened there. And then the thing that's just so you know, we're like, wow, chariots a fire coming, by the way, the people who've ever watched movies, that's cherots of fire. Chariots the fire come and get Elijah. That's amazing. But the one that I think I always forget is he rolls up his cloak snaps the water. Yeah, and the water parts it is a huge miracle, just a sheer amount of water that typically would flow from the north end. If you've ever huge if you've ever seen a picture of the. Jordan River overflowing its banks. Especially overflowing its banks. Right, but even just you know you've been in the Jordan. River that spot, you and I know you and I could hold hands and reach across it. Oh were they crossed? Yeah? Now, but it's because of all of the the irrigation where they've where they've redirected all the water in modern day Israel. But I thought you said it was the same place where Jesus Baptist was baptized. It was because that place seemed pretty wide to me. Didn't you go on a big pool because. You you were further north, not south. Yeah, there's there's two places back when you couldn't they changed They changed for the tourists. Did they Yeah? Yeah, oh yeah, okay when when when they when they could, I went because of all the geopolitical issues, they just go, oh and over here is where we think Jesus got bad paste. And it's just a Jordan river, but we know historically where you got baptized. Okay, I see what you're saying. So so anyways, that idea or that place is extraordinarily special for some reason, God just does so many miracles right there in that area, and The thing I love about it is that Elisha understood what God was doing in Elijah's life, and Elisha was like, you know, Elijah said, what can I do for you before I die? Well, man, Elijah made a lady her flour and oil never run out. Right. Elijah could have meant, hey, I don't ever want my bank account to run dry. Right, Elijah could have said. Elisha could have said, I want to live to be two hundred right, right, he could have He could have he could have I want to I want to marry a model. Right, well, whatever, I don't know what all the things I want to fast chariot. Well, he could have definitely ensured his life, just like what you're saying. It's like, it's like it doesn't have to be horrible motivations, right, But it could have been something like, hey, may make sure I never go without food, something. Like that, I don't ever want to sick again. Yeah, just for the you know, because I want to serve the Lord. You know. It didn't have to be like, hey, I want a million dollars or something like that. But but the thing he asked for is a double portion of h of his spirit. Which is phenomenal He's like, I want, I want to do more than you've done. Yeah, and I don't think that spiritual ambition is wrong. In Timothy, it says if a man desires the officer of a bishop, he desires a good thing, you know. So having spiritual ambition saying, man, I want to be used by God. I want to do great things for God. God, if you would let me do, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get to the point where you would use me to do amazing things for you. I don't think that's wrong. And you see it in Elijah. You see it with Paul talking about bishops, you know. And this is what Elishah has is. Elishah says Elijah, the difference you've made, the impact you've made, I want. I want that kind of relationship plus with God. I want that kind of impact plus with God. I think it's really a neat thing. And that's but at the same time it required a lot of him. So did you also know that Elijah did eight major miracles and Elisha actually, if you total up all his miracles by the time he died, it was only fifteen. It wasn't quite exactly double. But then they buried Elisia's bones, and then somebody dug up Elisia's bones and when they touched them, they were healed, and so that was sixteen sixteen. Yeah, it makes sense. So Elijah eventually got exactly double the number of miracles that Elijah did. So how cool is that? It's pretty incredible? So God allowed it to be exactly double. And so, you know, Elijah says to him, Hey, what you've asked is a very difficult thing. And you know what's really cool about Elijah's response is that Elijah knows that only God can grant what Elisha is asking for, right, right, So Elijah decides to do, you know, sort of like he lays out the fleece, doesn't he And he says, I'll tell you what, Elisha, I'm going to lay it out. If God allows you to see me, that means God has granted your requests, right, And if you cannot see me when I'm taking up in heaven, that means that God has not granted your request. So Elijah is still doing his part, right, and yet at the same time, Elijah is acknowledging that only God can grant these requests. So there's a great note you know, we love the Life Application Study Bible. I don't know why you haven't gotten yourself a life application study Bible. If you're listening and don't have one, yes, grab one and read it. I just had a young young adult, he's twenty I think, and he always reads from his phone, always read the Bible from his phone. Yeah, but you know, you get all the alerts, you get texts, you get all these things, and they distract you from reading. Yeah. So then he came to his dad and he was asking his dad some questions, and he was just talking about how hard it is sometimes to pay attention to whatever he has. Dad a Bible questions. Dad goes, I don't know, let me find it, and he goes and grabs a paper Bible. And the young man kind of poked fun at him little bit, but grabbing the paper Bible. And so he opens it up and he's reading. He's reading through the passage and he goes, oh, and then he answers the question and the young guy was like, how did you know that? He says, because it's right here in the notes in the study Bible. And this kid fell in love with the SOUB. I went and grabbed himself one. Now he's reading and he said, I don't get distracted with text anyone of the things. And by the way, there's all these extra notes in it. Right, you know the guy right he's on our staff and his son was just super excited about it. And you know who you are, Charlie. So this the notes in this. That's twice that Charlie get mentioned. Yeah, that's right. Second King's chapter two, verse nine, it says God granted Elisha's request because Elisha. Elisha's motives were pure. His main goal was not to be better or more powerful than Elijah, but accomplish more for God. If our motives are pure, we don't have to be afraid to ask great things from God, but we must be willing to ask. And when we ask God for great power of we need to examine our desires and get rid of any selfishness we find right And so it was these pure motives of God. I want to do great things for you. It's not for me. Now, Elishah benefited. He didn't have to get a boat and go across the river. He snapped the water and walked across too, on dry land. So he benefited from those blessings, but they were not selfish motives. Right. Well, last thing I'll say before we wrap up, because that is our time, is a mentor once said publicly, we can get a lot done for God if we don't care who gets the credit. Oh that's great, isn't that great? Yep? It's his kingdom first, that's right, yep. All right, Well, hey, that's our time for today and we will pick up our story with Elisha tomorrow on the Babble Guys,