IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Elijah is Taken Up to Heaven

Date: Mar. 17, 2025

Passage

2 Kings 2:1-11 (ESV)

Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please 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. And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.”

Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.”

Then Elijah said to him, “Please 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 sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground.

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 2:9

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.”

Elijah faithfully served God in his lifetime. Now the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. In preparation, the Lord sent Elijah to different places. Each time Elijah instructed Elisha to stay where he was while Elijah went as the Lord sent him. Elisha refused. He would not leave Elijah at this time. Elijah had been his master, and he knew the Lord was going to take his master from him on this day. They travelled to Bethel, Jericho and finally to the Jordan. Elisha would not leave his master.

When the time came there were fifty men accompanying. Elijah struck the waters of the Jordan, and they parted, enabling Elijah and Elisha to cross—just the two of them. There Elijah asked Elisha what he desired, and Elisha requested something amazing: “A double portion of your spirit.” Elijah was taken up to heaven, and Elisha was granted what he asked for. He saw in his master the Spirit that enabled him to prophesy and to suffer for the sake of the Lord. Elisha offered himself to the Lord with this desire.

Prayer: Lord, heal my heart that I may desire to have your Spirit. Help me to serve you and be a spiritual blessing.

One Word: Live with God’s Spirit; be a blessing

Daily Bread

God of Amaziah, God of Jeroboam Ii

2 Kings 14:1-29

Key Verse: 14:27

But the LORD had not said that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, so he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.

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