以利亞被接升天
1耶和華要用旋風接以利亞升天的時候，以利亞與以利沙從吉甲前往。 2以利亞對以利沙說：「耶和華差我往伯特利去，你可以在這裏等候。」以利沙說：「我指着永生的耶和華，又敢在你面前起誓，我必不離開你。」於是二人下到伯特利。 3住伯特利的先知門徒出來見以利沙，對他說：「耶和華今日要接你的師傅離開你，你知道不知道？」他說：「我知道，你們不要作聲。」
4 以利亞對以利沙說：「耶和華差遣我往耶利哥去，你可以在這裏等候。」以利沙說：「我指着永生的耶和華，又敢在你面前起誓，我必不離開你。」於是二人到了耶利哥。 5住耶利哥的先知門徒就近以利沙，對他說：「耶和華今日要接你的師傅離開你，你知道不知道？」他說：「我知道，你們不要作聲。」
6 以利亞對以利沙說：「耶和華差遣我往約旦河去，你可以在這裏等候。」以利沙說：「我指着永生的耶和華，又敢在你面前起誓，我必不離開你。」於是二人一同前往。 7有先知門徒去了五十人，遠遠地站在他們對面；二人在約旦河邊站住。 8以利亞將自己的外衣捲起來，用以打水，水就左右分開，二人走乾地而過。
9過去之後，以利亞對以利沙說：「我未曾被接去離開你，你要我為你做甚麼，只管求我。」以利沙說：「願感動你的靈加倍地感動我。」 10以利亞說：「你所求的難得。雖然如此，我被接去離開你的時候，你若看見我，就必得着；不然，必得不着了。」
以利亞乘旋風升天
11他們正走着說話，忽有火車火馬將二人隔開，以利亞就乘旋風升天去了。 12以利沙看見，就呼叫說：「我父啊！我父啊！以色列的戰車馬兵啊！」以後不再見他了。
於是以利沙把自己的衣服撕為兩片。 13他拾起以利亞身上掉下來的外衣，回去站在約旦河邊。 14他用以利亞身上掉下來的外衣打水，說：「耶和華－以利亞的神在哪裏呢？」打水之後，水也左右分開，以利沙就過來了。
15住耶利哥的先知門徒從對面看見他，就說：「感動以利亞的靈感動以利沙了。」他們就來迎接他，在他面前俯伏於地， 16對他說：「僕人們這裏有五十個壯士，求你容他們去尋找你師傅，或者耶和華的靈將他提起來，投在某山某谷。」以利沙說：「你們不必打發人去。」 17他們再三催促他，他難以推辭，就說：「你們打發人去吧！」他們便打發五十人去，尋找了三天，也沒有找着。 18以利沙仍然在耶利哥等候他們回到他那裏；他對他們說：「我豈沒有告訴你們不必去嗎？」
各位弟兄姊妹，平安！今天我們讀《列王紀下》第二章1-18。我們讀到的是以利亞被接升天的故事，這是一個非常戲劇性的場面。以利亞並沒有經歷死亡，而是被上帝用旋風接走了。而且，這件事他的徒弟以利沙也非常清楚地見證到了。
這裡的師徒傳承是一個非常奇妙的過程。不僅僅是以利沙清楚地知道上帝要把以利亞接走，而且他一路跟隨以利亞，堅持要親眼見證這個神蹟的發生。當以利亞問以利沙說：「你想要我為你做什麼？」的時候，以利沙非常大膽地回答：「願感動你的靈加倍感動我。」連以利亞自己都承認這件事不容易，但他也說，如果上帝允許，這就可能會為你發生。
此外，我們還看到一個重要的記號，那就是以利亞的外衣。以利亞用這件外衣打水，使河水分開，這又是一個神蹟，類似於摩西當年帶領以色列人離開埃及時分開紅海的情景。這件外衣沒有被以利亞帶走，而是特別留給了以利沙。
當以利沙回來的時候，他也用這件外衣打水，河水同樣分開了。這就證明了上帝的靈確實在以利沙身上運行，並將感動他在未來的服侍路上。這個神蹟也預示著以利沙將承接以利亞的職分，並且他的服侍會更加有力，因為他將做出比以利亞更多、更大的事情。
在這裡，我們看到以利沙不僅僅是親眼見證了以利亞被接升天的事情，他的心靈也深受感動，真正被聖靈充滿。因此，他的理解力比一般人更高。他不只是看到了師父的離去，更清楚地知道接下來他所要承擔的工作和使命。
當其他先知的門徒們想去尋找以利亞時，已經明白真相的以利沙告訴他們：「你們不用去找了。」然而，這些門徒們堅持要去尋找，最終組成了一個尋找小隊，但還是無功而返。以利沙只好對他們說：「我不是早就告訴你們了嗎？」
在這裡，還有一句非常重要的話語：當以利沙看到以利亞升天的時候，他喊著：「我父啊！我父啊！以色列的戰車馬兵啊！」這句話表達了以利沙對以利亞極大的敬重與情感。
這句話象徵著以利沙將以利亞視為以色列真正的力量與保護者。以利亞的信心和與上帝的關係，比以色列人所擁有的任何軍隊或武力都更加重要和強大。
當我們去理解這句話的時候，不是要我們敬重以利亞勝過所有的人，而是要明白，先知代表的是上帝的代言人，真正的以色列守護者是上帝自己。當人們回到先知的面前，也就是回到上帝的面前時，他們就擁有了最強大的保護者。
這句話也呼應了《詩篇》20篇7節的教導：「有人靠車，有人靠馬，但我們要靠耶和華我們神的名。」在古代的國家裡，擁有戰車和馬匹被認為是最強大的軍事力量，象徵著國家的力量和安全感。然而，《詩篇》的詩人強調的是，不論我們依賴什麼世俗的力量或資源，都遠不如依靠天上的上帝和祂的話語來得更為重要。
這提醒我們，真正的力量不在於物質上的權勢或武力，而在於我們對上帝的信靠。當我們倚靠上帝的名和祂的話語時，我們就擁有了超越一切屬地力量的保護和力量。這正是信仰的核心：信靠上帝，祂才是我們真正的依靠和救主。
到這裡，以利沙正式接過了以利亞的衣缽，接過了師父的外衣，正式開始了他的先知之職。接下來的記載將是以利沙的故事，以及他所行的許多神蹟。感謝各位的聆聽，我們明天繼續閱讀《列王紀下》第二章的後半部分。
Elijah Taken Up to Heaven
1When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
3The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”
4Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.”
And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.
5The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”
6Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.”
And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.
7Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
9When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
10“You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”
11As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.
13Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.
15The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16“Look,” they said, “we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has picked him up and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.”
“No,” Elisha replied, “do not send them.”
17But they persisted until he was too embarrassed to refuse. So he said, “Send them.” And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him. 18When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”
Dear brothers and sisters, peace be with you! Today, we are reading 2 Kings 2:1-18. We read about Elijah being taken up to heaven, a very dramatic scene. Elijah did not experience death; instead, he was taken up by a whirlwind sent by God. And this event was clearly witnessed by his disciple, Elisha.
The process of this master-disciple transition is quite remarkable. Not only did Elisha know that God was going to take Elijah away, but he also followed Elijah closely, insisting on witnessing this miracle firsthand. When Elijah asked Elisha, "What can I do for you before I am taken from you?" Elisha boldly replied, "Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit." Even Elijah acknowledged that this was not an easy request, but he also said that if God permitted it, it would indeed happen.
Furthermore, we see an important sign: Elijah's cloak. Elijah used this cloak to strike the water, causing it to part, a miracle reminiscent of Moses parting the Red Sea when leading the Israelites out of Egypt. This cloak was not taken up with Elijah but was left specifically for Elisha.
When Elisha returned, he used the cloak to strike the water, and the river parted again. This confirmed that God's Spirit was indeed with Elisha and that he would be empowered in his future ministry. This miracle also foreshadowed that Elisha would take up Elijah's mantle and perform even greater deeds, as he had requested.
Here, we see that Elisha not only witnessed Elijah being taken up to heaven, but his heart was deeply moved and filled with the Holy Spirit. As a result, his understanding was greater than that of others. He did not merely see his master's departure but understood the mission he was about to undertake.
When other prophets' disciples wanted to search for Elijah, Elisha, who already knew the truth, told them, "You don’t need to go." However, they insisted on searching, forming a search party, but ultimately returned empty-handed. Elisha had to remind them, "Didn't I tell you not to go?"
There is also a very important phrase here: when Elisha saw Elijah being taken up, he cried out, "My father, my father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!" This expression reflects Elisha's deep respect and affection for Elijah.
This phrase symbolizes that Elisha regarded Elijah as the true strength and protector of Israel. Elijah's faith and relationship with God were more significant and powerful than any army or military force that Israel could possess.
When we interpret this phrase, it is not to elevate Elijah above all others but to understand that the prophet represents God's messenger, and the true protector of Israel is God Himself. When people return to the prophet, and thus to God, they have the greatest protector.
This phrase also echoes the teaching of Psalm 20:7: "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." In ancient times, chariots and horses were considered the most formidable military strength, symbolizing national power and security. However, the psalmist emphasizes that no worldly power or resource can compare to the importance of relying on the word of God from heaven.
This reminds us that true strength does not lie in material power or military might but in our trust in God. When we rely on the name of God and His word, we possess protection and strength that surpass all earthly powers. This is the core of our faith: to trust in God, for He is our true refuge and Savior.
At this point, Elisha officially took up Elijah's mantle, symbolically taking over his master's cloak, and began his prophetic ministry. The following accounts will focus on Elisha's story and the many miracles he performed. Thank you all for listening, and we will continue reading the second half of 2 Kings 2 tomorrow.
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