Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20031109.htm

1 AND 2 KINGS: ENJOYING GOD'S BLESSINGS IN AN APOSTATE ERA
Part XXXI: Blessing By Faithful Service Under Trial To Gain God's Reward
(2 Kings 2:1-14)
  1. Introduction
    1. It is a fact that serving God is not always a humanly easy calling! Pressures from the Christian's enemies of the world, the sin nature and the devil often make serving God a challenge, cf. 1 Corinthians 4:9-13!
    2. However, God offers great reward for faithful service under duress, a lesson illustrated in 2 Kings 2:1-14:
  2. Blessing By Faithful Service Under Trial To Gain God's Reward, 2 Kings 2:1-14.
    1. God had called Elisha to become the heir of Elijah's ministry as prophet to Israel, 1 Kings 19:16, 19.
    2. Accordingly, Elisha had submitted to becoming Elijah's SERVANT in preparation for assuming that office once God had taken Elijah to heaven, 1 Kings 19:20-21.
    3. However, as the time came for God to take Elijah to heaven, Elisha faced great pressures AGAINST his being faithful in his calling as Elijah's servant to his risk of losing out on God's reward in that ministry:
      1. Elisha wanted to gain Elijah's end-of-life inheritance promise that was typical at the time of what a father would pronounce unto his eldest son: 2 Kings 2:9 revealed Elisha wanted to inherit from Elijah the double portion of Elijah's God-given spiritual power, Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, ftn. To 2 Kings 2:9.
      2. Yet, to gain that inheritance, Elisha had to stay FAITHFULLY BESIDE Elijah in his role as Elijah's SERVANT until Elisha had seen God take Elijah to heaven, 2 Kings 2:10 with 1 Kings 19:20-21.
      3. Yet, to stay by Elijah's SIDE to that end, Elisha had to experience great PAIN (as follows):
        1. In staying by Elijah's side to gain God's ministry reward, Elisha had to witness the painful parting of his beloved master, Elijah: (1) When God took Elijah to heaven, then parting him from Elisha by a fiery chariot, Elisha tore his clothes into TWO SEPARATE PARTS to indicate his grief at being separated from his beloved spiritual father, Elijah, 2 Kings 2:11-12b KJV, ESV. (2) When Elijah was parted from Elisha and taken to heaven, Elisha cried out, calling Elijah his "father" and "the chariots of Israel and its horsemen," 2 Kings 2:12a ESV. This cry revealed Elisha's grief at losing (a) a spiritual pillar for his own discipling (b) and for the spiritual welfare of his whole nation.
        2. In staying by Elijah's side to gain God's spiritual reward for his ministry, Elisha had to bear the trial of painful remarks made by fellow, insensitive prophets: (1) The day God planned to take Elijah to heaven, other prophets who knew of God's plan to take Elijah to heaven repeatedly and thoughtlessly told Elisha of that imminent event, 2 Kings 2:3, 5. (2) Yet, to be told of the event was so painful for Elisha that he had to keep telling these men not to mention it, 2 Kings 2:3b, 5b.
        3. In staying by Elijah's side to gain God's spiritual ministry reward, Elisha continually had to refuse an easy life: (1) When Elijah prepared to leave Gilgal for Bethel and asked Elisha to stay in Gilgal, Elisha refused such comfort so as not to miss gaining God's reward by hearing Elijah's final blessing, 2 Kings 2:1-2; 2:9-10. (2) When Elijah prepared to leave Bethel for Jericho and asked Elisha to remain there, Elisha yet again refused such comfort so as not to miss the chance to gain God's reward by hearing Elijah's final blessing, 2 Kings 2:2d, 4a,b. (3) When Elijah prepared to leave Jericho for the Jordan and asked Elisha to tarry in Jericho, Elisha still refused the comfort of remaining there to travel to the Jordan so as not to miss the chance to gain God's reward by hearing Elijah's final blessing, 2 Kings 2:4c, 6. (Bible Knowledge Commentary, O.T., p. 539-540)
    4. Nevertheless, Elisha endured personal pain, insensitive remarks by his colleagues and an uncomfortable life to stay faithful to his calling to win God's reward: in seeing Elijah depart into heaven, he received the power he desired as was evidenced by his parting the Jordan River with Elijah's mantel, 2 Kings 2:12-14.
Lesson: To gain God's best blessing in his ministry, Elisha stayed FAITHFUL in his divine CALLING though it COST him deep personal sorrow at witnessing Elijah's departure, though it cost him having to bear repeated painful remarks by insensitive fellow prophets and though it meant continually having to refuse an easier life to serve the Lord. Thus, God rewarded Elisha with the blessing he sought!

Application: May we endure the trials, staying faithful to God's assignment in life and ministry for us that we, like the prophets of old, might win God's rewards in ministry and in eternity, James 5:10-11!