2 Kings 2:1-12a * February 22, 2009 *
Transfiguration Sunday * Pastor Leyrer
Dear Friends in Christ,
Anyone who has ever sung, hummed or heard the spiritual song “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” is somewhat familiar with the events that take place in our text. But before we take a closer look at it, let’s talk about how it ties in with this Sunday…
The Gospel reading for today tells us that when Jesus was transfigured on the mountain He stood in the company of two heavenly visitors, Moses and Elijah.
We are not told specifically why it was these two rather than, say, Abraham and David, or any of the other great Old Testament heroes of faith. Nevertheless, whenever we are not told something it often leads to speculation.
Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the first five books of the Bible were written by Moses and as a group they are often referred to as “the Law.” And while he was not used by God to write any books of the Bible, Elijah was perhaps the most powerful representative of that group of God’s spokesmen we collectively call “the prophets.”
Since the entire Old Testament is at times referred to as “the Law and the Prophets,” some have suggested that Moses and Elijah symbolically represent how all of God’s Word is fulfilled and reaches it climax in Jesus Christ. This is certainly true.
Matthew and Mark’s account of the Transfiguration simply
report that Moses and Elijah were talking to Jesus. What do you think they were talking
about? Luke’s account clues us in: “They spoke about his departure, which he
was about to bring to fulfillment in
Although we are told no more than that, it would certainly be consistent with what we are told to speculate that Moses and Elijah – two men whom God had used mightily for His purposes – offered Jesus words of encouragement as He prepared to fulfill His purpose: the salvation of mankind through His dying and rising.
Our text for today takes us back to the Old Testament and revolves around the final hours of one of those heavenly visitors. What we’ll find is that just as Elijah was no doubt an encouragement to Jesus, he is also an encouragement to us. So for the next several minutes let’s examine one of the great Old Testament figures of faith and receive
ENCOURAGEMENT FROM ELIJAH
1. By looking at his life
2. By anticipating his same
after-life
The text before us includes miracles, suspense, drama and dialogue. We are told God made it known that on this day he was going to take Elijah away from the man whom he had mentored and who was to succeed him, Elisha. It is interesting to note that when Elijah asks Elisha what he could do for him before this happens, Elisha makes this request: “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit.”
We need to understand that correctly. Elisha is not asking to have twice the ministry Elijah had; rather he is using language from Old Testament inheritance laws which assigned to the firstborn son a double portion of his father’s inheritance. So what Elisha was really expressing was the desire to carry on Elijah’s work. That’s also why Elijah’s answer to him essentially leaves this matter in the Lord’s hands.
However, there is something more here. Behind this request is the recognition that Elijah had lived a meaningful and purposeful life. Which he did.
So let’s talk about that life. It’s quite a story and one worth telling – and accompanying it are some wonderful life-lessons for us.
It was a dark time in Old Testament history; that period
when God’s people, once unified under the great kings David and Solomon, were
split into two kingdoms. Elijah lived
and worked in the Northern kingdom, which retained the name of
If Ahab was bad, his wife was worse. You may not know where she fits into history,
but you probably know her name: Jezebel. She came from a heathen land north of
Jezebel was used to having things her way and it appears
Ahab was either too weak or too enchanted to offer any resistance. Her first order of business was to establish a
new religion in
In the minds of heathen people, Baal and Asherah were considered to be fertility gods. As such, they were, among other things, responsible for the rain which watered the crops, which then produced food for the people.
It is at this point Elijah breaks on to the scene. He confronts Ahab and tells him that there will be no more rain until the Lord decides. This was a direct strike at the heart of Baal’s supposed power. What he’s telling Ahab is that Baal is impotent and powerless in the face of the One True God. Then Elijah leaves. And it doesn’t rain for over three years.
During that time God provides for his prophet in some marvelous and miraculous ways. For a while he lives by a brook and the Lord orders ravens to feed him. So every morning and every evening these big birds supplied Elijah with bread and meat to eat.
After a while the brook dries up, so Elijah is directed by God
to go to a town called Zarephath where he meets up with a widow and her
son. Interestingly enough, this town is
not in
The widow is resigned to the fact that she and her son will soon die of starvation, but God sees to it that her meager supply never runs out, and she and her family and Elijah are taken care of. Later when her son becomes ill and dies, Elijah proves his credentials as a true prophet of the One True God and brings him back to life.
In the meantime things are getting worse in
So Elijah challenges him to a contest between Baal and the
One True God. “Meet me with your
entourage at
850 heathen priests begin praying and shouting and dancing. Nothing happens. They do it more and longer. Nothing happens. They begin to mutilate themselves to get Baal’s attention. Nothing happens.
Then it’s Elijah’s turn.
850 priests without God are no match for one man with God. Elijah prays and immediately fire consumes
the sacrifice. The believers are
strengthened and at Elijah’s command they execute the priests of Baal and
Asherah – the true “troublers of
Shortly thereafter, the rain returns.
Jezebel is furious.
She puts out a contract on Elijah, and despite the convincing testimony
at
But God strengthens him. Then He sends him on a forty day
journey to
Next came a gentle whisper. And in that whisper Elijah recognized the presence of God.
Encouraged and instructed, Elijah recognized he had more work to do. Which he did, up until the time of our text when God transported him to Himself through a whirlwind accompanied by a chariot and horses of fire.
Quite a life, wouldn’t you say? What can we learn from it? A lot. Let’s limit ourselves to three life lessons gleaned from Elijah; three lessons which provide us with encouragement for our journey…
Life lesson #1. God is the One True God. And while in His wisdom and for his reasons he may at times allow evil to prevail, He always provides for His people. He did that for Elijah, and He will do that for us.
Consequently the life of discipleship is not one of questioning or wondering why God does this or that; it is one of implicit trust that God will see us through whatever stage or phase or place in life we are.
Life lesson #2: Even the strong can get weak and weary at times. If that happened to someone like Elijah who had multiple, personal, direct conversations with God, it can happen to us as well. The trick is not to deny the emotional ups and downs of life, but to know where to go when they come.
God still speaks to us in the gentle whisper of His Word and promises. Those who look for God only in the winds or earthquakes or fires of miracles or expect powerful displays of direct intervention on demand will be disappointed, but those who seek Him in His Word will be refreshed.
Life lesson #3: The mode of transportation may be different for us then it was for Elijah, but the destination upon completion of our last day on earth remains the same as his. And while none of us should count on being picked up for eternity by a low swinging sweet chariot, we can with certitude and confidence count on being “carried home.”
Why? Let’s conclude by going back to the Mount of Transfiguration and remember the One Elijah was talking to.
Encouraged and strengthened, Jesus is about to go forward
into
Because of that, we will one day be with Elijah and all the other saints whose lives encourage us along the way. Amen.