Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee.
A final interview between good men
The two names here mentioned represent two of themost remarkable men in the history of the world. Both stood faithful in a faithless age. Through both, heavenly wisdom announced its truths, and Almighty energy wrought its marvels. Both were valiant for truth. In this final interview of these illustrious men, we find something to lament, something to admire, something to study, and something to imitate.
I. Here is something to lament. The departure of a great and good man from this world is a subject for lamentation. There are two things that show this to be a lamentable occurrence,
1. The event involves a positive decrease in the amount of means for the world’s improvement. Heaven’s plan to raise the world is by the ministry of the good. Good men are God’s agents to improve the world.
2. The event involves a positive increase in the amount of the world’s responsibilities. The world’s responsibilities are proportioned to its means of improvement;--“Unto whomsoever much is given, cf him shall be much required.” The life of a good manadds to the world’s responsibility. Thus its mighty sum of accountability daily augments. The more good the life, the greater the addition to the amount. Christ’s life was the best, and hence He said, “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin.”
II. Here is something to admire. What do we see here to admire?
1. Sublime calmness in the most solemn crisis. Truly solemn was the position Elijah now occupied, for he stands on the line that separates time from eternity. On one side of the line there were many scenes on earth dear to memory, many persons precious to his heart, many works that he had wrought, and much that he had left unfinished. On the other side there was eternity.
2. A generous interest in friends in the last hour of earthly life. “Ask me,” he says, “what I shall do for thee before I be taken from thee?” Though in close approximation to eternity, his affection for his friend was unimpaired. Death does not quench our love.
3. A consciousness of power to confer benefit in the last hour, “Ask what I shall do for thee,” implying a consciousness of power to confer good. A good man has power at all times to confer good, even on his deathbed; on his expiring couch he can exhibit fortitude under suffering, resignation to the Divine will, intercessory sympathies for the living. Deathbeds have often proved signally useful to attendant friends.
III. Here is something to study. There are two important principles suggested in this text which demand our attention:--
1. That men can only benefit their race while they are living upon earth. “Before I am taken away from thee,” said Elijah; implying I shall do nothing for thee when I am gone. I shall be where I cannot communicate thought, or render oneact of service. Our work on earth is done when we leave it. When we die we cannot return to discharge any neglected duty.
2. That our power to benefit men will depend upon their consent. “Ask what I shall do for thee.” If men resist we are powerless; our instrumentality is moral, our best thoughts, our purest sympathies, our devoted efforts will all go for nothing, if men will not consent to our influence.
IV. Here is something to imitate. In the conduct of Elisha we see two things worthy of imitation.
1. A perception of real worth. “I pray thee let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.”
2. An aspiration after real worth. “I pray thee let a double portion.” Here is coveting earnestly the best gift. (Homilist.)
I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
Elisha’s request
I. Its meaning.
1. “A double portion.”
(1) Not “twice as much as thou.” That might have been the prayer not of ambition to excel Elijah, but of humility. In myself so inferior that I need double portion to succeed thee.
(2) Better: the portion of first-born (Deu_21:17); twice as much as any other son of the prophets. All claim a portion. My work and responsibility greatest; to be head of the family in thy place. Give me right of the first-born-a double portion.
2. “Thy spirit.” God’s Spirit: who came upon Samson, Saul, David, Elijah himself (2Ki_2:16). But still Elijah’s spirit (2Ki_2:15). In three senses his:--
(1) His own. Not separable, as property, friends, means of grace, etc. In him (Joh_4:14). Not hand without upholding, but cordial within, strengthening.
(2) His characteristically. One Spirit, but manifold gifts. Natural character remains, etc.
(3) His in its influence. Elisha’s request granted. Character moulded by Elijah’s spirit, yet not obliterated. Still Elisha, not Elijah. Marked contrast between them. Elijah type of John Baptist, Elisha of Christ.
II. Its application.
1. To intercourse of friends. Elijah friend of Elisha.
2. To official relations. Elisha pupil of Elijah. Conclusion. Our intercourse with friends, our relations as teachers, parents, ministers, etc., are they such as, when the parting comes, to warrant the request, “I pray thee,” etc.? (ArchdeaconPerowne.)
The spirit of Elijah
Elijah, with his clear-eyed vision, saw that Elisha and not himself was the man to be considered at this hour; the parting meant more to Elisha than it did to himself. Elijah knew that all was right between him and God. He had no doubts about his future. I do not suppose he had the slightest intimation as to the peculiar manner in which he would leave the earth, although his words indicate a premonition that he was not to die in the natural, usual way. But in whatever way God called him, Elijah was safe. His work was done. His record was made up. Heaven and immortal glory, with the crown of eternal life, remained for him. Elisha, however, was in the midst of the struggle of life. He was to remain in the warring and striving world. He was to stand before wicked kings and ungodly men as the messenger of God. He would need every possible help and blessing that he might not fall or faint by the day. Ah, it is not death that the good man needs to fear. Living is infinitely more serious than dying. If we live well, we shall die well. We are not for a moment to suppose that there was anything selfish or ambitious in the request of Elisha. He was not asking that he might be twice as great as Elijah. He was thinking of the great need of the people and how much the loss of Elijah would mean, and he felt how small were his own powers and gifts compared to those of the great man whom he had loved and followed. He is asking that upon his own gifts and powers, which seem to him so small, a double portion of the spirit that had made Elijah so great may rest and make him strong to do the work of God which was now to fall upon his shoulders. The response of Elijah was significant. He answered, “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.” Dr. William M. Taylor sees in this answer of Elijah this meaning: The sight of Elijah’s ascension gave to Elisha a firmer and more vivid faith in the reality of the unseen life than he had ever had before and greater than even Elijah had ever known. It remains for us to find our message in considering what constituted this spirit of Elijah, a double portion of which Elisha desired as the greatest boon that could come to him. For every one of us who is striving to live the good life to-day will find it as valuable a possession as it was to Elisha.
1. It was a vital faith in the presence and power of God in the world. There was Elijah’s power. He believed God. God was real to him. God was not lost to Elijah’s sight by the creation which He had made. Elijah saw God present in the midst of His world with unlimited power and control. This gave him all his courage. It was the same force that made John Knox a greater terror to a wicked queen than all the armies of Scotland. It was the same force that made Luther the greatest man of Ms day.
2. The spirit of Elijah was the spirit of obedience. He obeyed God promptly, without questioning; we never should have heard of him but for that. He kept his ear open, listening to God, and he went swiftly to do the Divine bidding. That was what gave value to Elijah’s conduct. Think of the millions of Christians in the world to-day. If they all had Elijah’s spirit of obedience, what revolutions would come about. The gambling hell would be abolished for ever. War would die out of the earth, and the Gospel would speedily be preached to every creature, if only all the men and women who bear the name of Jesus Christ had Elijah’s spirit of implicit obedience to God.
3. Elijah’s spirit was a spirit of supreme courage born of this faith and obedience. (L. A. Banks,D. D.)
The noblest legacy of the departed good
I. The greatest need, the most solemn position, is not with those who are leaving the world, but with those who remain. Not Elijah, but Elisha requires strength and help. It was a perception of Elisha’s greater need that prompted the invitation.
II. Our power to bless others is limited by our lives. “Before I be taken away from thee.” Elijah cannot pledge himself to anything after his departure. While yet he lingers upon me earth he may help and mess his successor. We can only bless the world while we are present in it.
III. The noblest legacy of the departed good, and the measure in which we should ask to possess it. “Let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.” This was the wisest request Elisha could have presented. What are we to understand by “thy spirit”? We think he must mean that which was the animating principle of Elijah’s character, the master passion of his soul--his fidelity to God, and zeal for His name. This spirit of the great and good is their noblest legacy, our richest inheritance.
1. The spirit of Elijah was the secret of Elisha’s power. We are prone to place a man’s power in natural gifts and external advantages. But all experience proves that, in the work of the Lord, a simple, earnest, soul-possessing faithfulness is superior to all beside. He who has it, whatever else he may have or have not, is a true Elijah, who shall bring down the sacred fire, not upon a slaughtered bullock, but upon the souls of men.
2. The spirit of the great and good alone can compensate for their departure and loss.
3. The spirit of the great and good is alone unchanging in its character, and meets the requirements of every age.
4. To catch and inherit the spirit of the good and great is to attain the deepest and truest resemblance to them. (W. Perkins.)
What is the best service I can render my fellows
The giving fact of life is a fact permanent and wonderful. Steadily each of us is giving his fellows somewhat.
I. Volitionally we may give--e.g., money, place, knowledge. Better than these, we may volitionally give a helping sympathy.
II. But unvolitionally, unconsciously, we are giving to our fellows; St. Peter’s shadow (Act_5:15). Every one of us is streaming upon his fellows an unconscious influence Our practical question is--What is the best gift any one can yield his fellows? I find the answer in our Scripture.
1. The best gift one can yield his fellows is character--the double portion of a noble spirit.
2. This fact, that the best gift we can yield our fellows is character, that the best service we can render them is the imparting of a noble spirit, has important applications--
(1) To our friendships--noble friendships, as Elisha did with Elijah, we shall get nobleness.
(2) To marriage. For the associations of marriage are the closest possible. And if eachwere noble, what nobleness has not each to each imparted?
(3) To parenthood. The character of the parent is reproduced in the child.
(4) The great character-giver is Jesus Christ. There is no failure in Him, as there was, to some extent, in Elijah. (HomileticReview.)
