Double Blessing Part 1

When 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. "You have asked a difficult thing," Elijah said, "yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise not." 2 Kings 2:9 – 10
The final stage of Elijah’s life can be divided into two parts. First there is the remarkable translation that he had and second, the double portion of God’s blessing upon Elisha.

As Elijah was walking along the road with his companion Elisha the Lord sent His chariot to gather up Elijah and to take him home. It will be the same for the believers when the Lord calls His church home. We will be going about our daily work and suddenly the trumpet of the Lord will signal the coming home of His people. Some people have felt that they need to prepare themselves for the Lord’s coming by withdrawing from the world. That was not the picture with Elijah. They were continuing to do the ordinary things of life. A preacher one time preached a powerful sermon on the second coming of Christ so that the hearers in his congregation believed it would happen that very night. The next morning the pastor planted an apple tree that would take years to mature. Did he not believe his own message? He did but also knew the command of the King of kings who said, “Occupy until I come.”

As they walked along together Elijah tested the loyalty of his companion. This was done four times; first at Gilgal, then at Bethel, Jericho and finally the Jordan River.