Obedience For Everyday Prophets

1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21

2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14

Art: Elijah by John August Swanson

This weekend’s lectionary gives us two different pictures of obedience, expressed by two of Israel's prophets. Today, we dip our toes into the Book of Kings—a cautionary tale that shows us what happens when God’s people lose the plot of the/their Story. Beginning with the rule of Solomon and continuing through the Babylonian exile, the Book of Kings tells the tale of the long line of leaders who run the nation of Israel into the ground. Still, the ever merciful YAHWEH shows up right in the middle of the mess, sending His messengers into the center of corruption with some very heavy/holy assignments. Let’s meet two of the faithful—Elijah and Elisha. 

Despite winning a mighty battle on Carmel, victory has quickly turned to defeat/retreat for the zealous Elijah. Having fled to the wilderness to escape a death threat from Queen Jezebel, Elijah is fortified by YAHWEH (read: given food, drink, and sleep) in order to make the 40-day journey to Horeb at the Lord’s command. Much has been said about what transpires between Elijah and God on that infamous mount. In his prominent “cave moment,” we bear witness to the devout prophet at his lowest of lows. Unsurprisingly, God meets him, though not in the wind, nor in the flames, nor in the quaking earth (as might be expected of Israel’s God) but in the silence. And then with a question. And then, with space into which Elijah may speak back—voicing his pain, his anger, his disappointment, his fear, his feeling of abandonment, and his desire to cease. The conversation ensues, which is where our passage begins for today.

“Then the LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel, and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place.” (1 Kings 19:15-16)

Whereas he has fled in despair to the far south, all the way to the desert of Beersheba, God now calls Elijah to return to the very north of Syria-Palestine to the wilderness of Damascus. And once there, he is to participate (read: bear the prophetic mantle once more) in bringing about a new order of political and religious leadership. This reordering is significant and tells us something about God’s heart, God’s sovereignty, and God’s power. Not only does YAHWEH despise tyrants, but He is also inclined to intervene against them if they lead the people to apostasy or oppress the most vulnerable—precisely what was transpiring across the divided kingdoms. As per usual, God has a plan: to reshuffle the deck of leadership, giving His people another chance to change the trajectory of the Story. 

I hear a subtext in YAHWEH’s whisper to the downtrodden prophet: 

You are not alone, Elijah, and you are not the only one who serves Me. This isn’t all up to you. 
Your new assignment is to prepare the way for others to join Me in my work.

“So he set out from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was plowing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him. He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, ‘Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.’ Then Elijah said to him, ‘Go back again, for what have I done to you?’ He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah and became his servant.” (1 Kings 19:19-21)

These closing verses of chapter 19 leave us wondering if Elijah is fully on board with God’s new plan. There is no mention here, or in the upcoming chapters, of Elijah ever meeting (or trying to meet) Hazael and Jehu—it will fall to Elisha to arrange the anointing of both men. And here, the text seems to suggest that Elijah merely enlists the young farm-manager as his assistant, rather than anointing him as prophetic successor. That he “passed by and threw his mantle over him,” invites us to consider whether Elijah is experiencing some hesitation as he discerns God’s lastest direction for him. Is he reluctant to give up his position? Is he apathetic towards God’s intention to develop someone else into the role? Might he genuinely be concerned that Elisha isn’t ready to bear the weight of this call? Hard to say, though v.20 implies an earnest apprehension on the part of the elder prophet. 

For me, this glimpse into Elijah’s “post-cave” trajectory paints a relatable picture. How often have I said “yes” to the Lord’s call, while simultaneously feeling the tug of hesitation and apprehension deep in my bones.  

Am I hearing God correctly? 
Can I really do this? 
Do I even want to do this?
What if my attempts to obey make me look foolish?
How do I trust in God’s plan when I can’t see the full picture?
Will my “yes” cost me too much?  

If we’re being honest, I think many of us—who remain steadfast and faithful in our following and devotion to YAHWEH—wrestle with questions like these regularly. Elijah’s story gives us permission to honor the uncertainty in our minds, to hold the hesitations in our hearts, while at the very same time moving our feet in obedience. 

What if the reluctancy we feel isn’t a sign of faithlessness, but a sign of reverence? 
We’ve walked these roads before. 
We know the costs. 
Will we still say yes? 

In comparison, Elisha’s zeal at the Lord’s command is striking. We see the determination of this young man most clearly in his dramatic move to sever all ties to his present/past life. After the mantle is cast upon him, Elisha immediately runs after the elder prophet, then proceeds to slaughter a pair of oxen, turning his plough into firewood to roast the meat for neighbors—a bold action symbolizing Elisha’s resolute decision to part ways with the old and take up the new. Elisha's abrupt “yes” to following the Lord is remarkable.

I can relate to Elisha’s posture in this story as well. Along my path of discipleship, there have been times when I’ve sensed the Lord’s invitation quite clearly, and in response, just jumped! I have had moments of such profound clarity, that I’ve felt supernaturally willing to leave much behind in order to move with obedience towards God’s invitation. On occasion, I’ve felt the Spirit’s pull so strongly that any doubt I was carrying, any resistance or fear, any question about what “could” happen down the road just melted away. But I must be honest: I can count these occurrences on one hand. 

Still, Elisha’s response to this initial summons into God’s mission (the “mantle-toss”) invites us to remember the times in our own faith stories when youthful exuberance, or a more childlike faith, were the necessary ingredients to propel us over the edge in obedience—to join into whatever God was up to with joyful abandon. 

How do these two different pictures of faithful obedience sit with you today?
In this season of life, whose story is most relatable to your own? 

Let’s read on and see if there are any more clues our lectionary text wants to offer us:

“Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.’ But Elisha said, ‘As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.’ So they went down to Bethel.

Then Elijah said to him, ‘Stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.’ But he said, ‘As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.’ So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company of prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and the two of them crossed on dry ground. When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Tell me what I may do for you before I am taken from you.’ Elisha said, ‘Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.’ He responded, ‘You have asked a hard thing, yet if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.’ As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, ‘Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!’ But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. He picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, He said, ‘Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah? Where is he?’ He struck the water again, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha crossed over.” (2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14)

Here we come to a culminating point in Elijah and Elisha’s relationship. The time has come for Elisha to be authenticated as Elijah’s successor. Three times, Elijah requests that Elisha hold back as he continues on from Gilgal to Bethel, then to Jericho (v.4-5), then to the Jordan River. Three times, Elisha says, “I will not leave you.” What’s Elijah doing here by asking his replacement to stay put? Has he still not fully embraced God’s plan? Is this merely Elijah’s way of testing the young prophet’s fortitude—making sure he’s really ready?

Whether the former, or the latter, or a little bit of both, it’s once more worth considering the ways hesitation shows up in our attempts at obedience—even in the most loyal of God’s servants. And again, this doesn’t seem to be an issue for God, nor does it keep God from working through Elijah to accomplish His purposes. 

What would be different in our lives (and in the lives of our congregations) if words like: “reluctant,” “unsure,” “unclear,” “apprehensive,” or “indifferent,” weren’t seen as signs of unfaithfulness, nor disqualifiers for joining God’s mission, but instead seen as indicators of maturing faith—evidence of an increasing capacity to count the costs as ordinary humans who are regularly invited to discern God’s extraordinary invitations?

Confident that God will take him soon, Elijah asks Elisha what he may do for him. Unwavering, and perhaps becoming increasingly aware of what his “yes” will require, Elisha asks for what he knows he’ll need: a double portion of Elijah’s God-given gifts. Will his request be granted? According to Elijah, only if the young prophet proves that he’s inherited the unique capacity to see/perceive (read: discern) YAHWEH’s divine activity in the world—a capacity that’s indeed confirmed when Elisha lets out a shout at the sight of YAHWEH’s army swooping down to take Elijah up. Here, Elisha’s response to YAHWEH’s self-disclosure is to take hold of his own clothes and tear them in two pieces—an action that implies both a mourning ritual while also being suggestive of Elisha’s commitment to, once again, leave his old life behind. The passage culminates with Elisha picking up the prophetic mantle and miracles immediately following. The Spirit who empowered Elijah has come upon Elisha, giving him the ability to repeat the activity of his mentor.

I love the way this story shows us Elisha’s steadfast commitment, a willingness to pursue his calling from Elijah at all costs with no guarantee that God will respond. Elisha simply follows what he understands to be God’s will for him, though he cannot know for certain where that will lead him. Obedience for Elisha looks like taking one faithful step after another, looking for signs of God’s presence in both natural and supernatural objects and occurrences. 

What would be different in our lives (and in the lives of our congregations) if we found ways to practice this day-by-day discernment, looking for God’s movement and direction in the ordinary (and extraordinary) action of our days? How might such a practice also lead to maturing faith? 

 …

Today, perhaps you find yourself in a place of hesitation, reluctance, exasperation, full of questions, or lacking clarity as to what God is inviting you to step towards. If that’s the case, may you be encouraged by this story of Elijah. May you find hope and promise by observing the ways this weary prophet continues to trust that he has a part to play in the story God is writing. May your apprehensions and indifferences lead you with fresh curiosity deeper into the heart of the Father. May you remember you’re not alone in your assignment. May you be emboldened to walk with and help develop others, invigorating their love for God’s great collaborative project. May you rely fully on the Spirit to be your source of wisdom, endurance, power, and love.   

Or perhaps, today you are sensing an unwavering, exuberant, “yes” to the Lord, clear in your calling, and ready to dive in head-first with joyful abandon to whatever God has in store. If so, may Elisha’s posture fortify your spirit for the big leaps ahead. May his tenacity inspire you and urge you to go further. May his willingness to cast off the old and take up the new, motivate you to break free from attachments that no longer serve God’s purposes in you. May you have the confidence to ask for what you need to complete the assignment God has in store for this season, be those natural or supernatural gifts. May you rely fully on the Spirit to be your source of wisdom, endurance, power, and love.   

And for all of us, may our “yes” to God be found in the small, ordinary ways we keep turning to him each day. Amen.