Podcast: Download
Subscribe: RSS
Elisha followed the older man closely that day, refusing suggestions that he stays behind. At the end, the old prophet turned to the young man and said, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “I pray you, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”
Elisha was asking that the anointing and power of God that rested upon Elijah come upon him, but in a double measure. Elijah replied: “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be done for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” It came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha saw and cried, ” My father, my father! The Chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof! And He saw him no more . . . ” The condition has been fulfilled.
For a moment Elisha had seen things invisible to the human eye which made him call out in astonishment and awe. Additionally he saw forces assigned as protectors of Israel. These forces were real, powerful, efficient forces that the human eye cannot see, because they are not physical but spiritual, not natural but supernatural. Moreover,they are on a different plane than that of the natural and the physical. In their comings and goings they are, with very rare exception, unseen and unheard by man.
Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints
The understanding is that power or faculty in the soul by which knowledge or information is received, and the recipient power is here termed the EYES of the understanding. What the eye is to the body, the understanding is to the soul; and that as the eye is not light in itself, and can discern nothing but by the means of light shining. Not only on the objects to be viewed, but into the eye itself; so the understanding of man can discern no sacred thing of or by itself.