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Snapshot

Overview

The passage of Elijah from earth to heaven consisted of two parts, namely, the trekking segment and the flight segment. It can be thought of as a journey made up of human responsibility where he could; the other God’s magnificent aid when a man comes to the end of his ability. Only two patriarchs – Enoch and Elijah – have plied this path of getting caught up to meet the Lord in the sky. Others died, and their graves are amongst us earthy. It paints a picture of how the Lord will reap His own from this earth from now until He returns. There is honey along the path of this harrowing journey, both to sweeten and to smoothen – if we dare settle to explore.

Gilgal, a place of Deeds

Gilgal was the cam from where the Israelites receded to fight their initial wars. Many witty acts that melted the heart of kings and inhabitants of their occupied territory happened around here with it as a base. Let us examine some.

Conversion (Josh. 5:1-12)

All the children of Israel who came out of Egypt circumcised died in the wilderness except Joshua and Caleb. So, since circumcision was a sign of inclusion in the Abrahamic covenant, this must hold for all Israelites going forward. Thus, they had to be converted from non-inclusion in the Abrahamic promise before they inherited the land promised to their forefather, Abraham. This tells of the Christian experience of conversion from hell to be set on our way to heaven. It means converting from pagan, idolatrous faiths to spiritual Jews by faith.

Undoubtedly, though Elijah’s experience blew past the ink of any inspired scribe; disperse in the wind’s memory, it must definitely not have escaped the actor. He must have remembered the sweet awe that escorted the experience of “When at first He met the Lord.” He must have recounted how strangely fulfilling this encounter was.

This once-upon-a-time entrepreneur must have also begun this journey with his master with the thought of his conversion. “How memorably dreadful the day was when this witty prophet beckoned on me by laying a mantle on me!” What a beautiful way to begin a journey of no return for the master! And step into a journey-just-begun for the servant. It sets interest at par.

Consecration. (Josh. 5:13-15)

Gilgal was a place of consecration to God. Joshua, the leader that ushered the Israelites into the promised land, as Elijah had had the opportunity to lead them, met God’s angel with a drawn sword. Joshua’s response was to worship him, who came as the “unseen” Commander of the Israelite Army. It instilled the fear of God in him that very hour, and he bent and bowed in worship.

Elijah must have called to memory the naked encounters he had with God, the moment he had shared with God, which made him trust God, worship God and obey Him the way he did. He must have called to mind the private encounters God had with him that formed the source of his conviction. How blessed his thought must have been: “the one who I met seldomly and my life changed radically, what a heaven to be with Him permanently.”

Elisha, though rookie, must have recalled all that made Him stay glued to his apprenticeship with Elijah. The least was descending the hill of a prosperous farmer to the valley of a becoming ridiculously famous servant. His primary duty was to prepare Elijah’s meals and pour water on his hands before the meal. He also awaited Elijah until he was done eating, poured water on his hands for rinsing, and then packed up the plates for cleaning. Would the memories of these sacrifices not have kindled or sustained the desire for a worthwhile compensation?

Compromise

As notably beautiful as Gilgal’s memory dripped, one event crowned it all. After Achan had coveted the Babylonian garment at Ai and had stolen it, Gilgal was the base where God dealt decisively with the sin. It looked like God brought His people in after He had called on them by defeat. Thank god their ears were not deafened; they shut into the Lord their God.

Oh, How Elijah must have remembered how graciously the Lord had been; He had not dealt with Him according to his iniquities. It is not over-speculative for us to imagine Elijah recalled how he was divinely inspired to join God to fight the backsliding of the Israelites. Since especially God detoured from His fierce anger here, Elijah must have been joyous to have made God turn from His wrath. What sweet anticipation to meet this God he must have conceived!

Elisha, a youth who must dream dreams to fulfil Hosea’s prophecy, must have been more futuristic in his consideration. His must have been, “My master was able to restore the heart of these stiff-necked people to God. How do I maintain their constancy of fellowship and devotion with Him?” Would these not have emboldened his desire to double down on his demand for anointing? We may conclude too early at this point. Let us examine their journey through other junctions and towns further.

Bethel, a place of Devotion

Abraham built an altar here, Gen. 12:8. Here, God instructed Jacob to build an altar when he was to depart from that cruel master – Laban (Gen 35:1). Some patriarchs set the pace and the base for contact with God. Elijah’s fugitivity along his advancement toward the Jordan River must have constituted a beautiful experience. He would have remembered how graciously God made him divide a lot with Abraham, his ancestors. At the same time, he wandered through the promised land with the Child of promise in his loins. He must have been so filled with a heavenly joy that his own life was a living alter ready and willing to burn for God, wherever God so determined. What memories of heaven filling his soul when in his lonely sojourn! What memory of angels attending to him where there were no one to render such services! What about recalling how birds became his stewards when devotion to God caused him a notorious outcast! How beautiful would this reunion be!

Our founded loves, outside God, are usually painfully ridden off the fold of God in devotion to Him. For example, Gen 35:8 documents how the fold was rid of idolatrous Rachael. Her act did not merit seeing the promised land. Oh, Bethel would have called to Elijah’s mind how the Lord had rid him of his earthly and familial attachments to their mutual benefit. He must have recalled how this gave him leverage to Pisgah, from whose lofty height he can enjoy the thousand sacred sweets yielded by the hills of Zion. It is a place where “The men of Grace have found Glory begun below.” They ate “Celestial fruits on earthly ground.” So that from these fruits, “…faith and hope may grow.”¹

Elisha, once again, must have been futuristic. My master is gathering to his people – the ones whose sacrifices sanctioned these places sacred. “How do I advance in devotion, such that I would be privileged, numbered among our progenitors whether I am collected by the chariot or death as the vehicle?” He must have observed the fervent devotion of Elijah. He was at the places of devotion with this mentor. He must have considered: “How can I keep up without being doubly blessed as this man! No man has loved God. Our love is at best derived; a second-best love that only tries to imitate the divine. And because no man loves God, it is rather hard to maintain a devotion to God, except that God sustains.” So many were questions that only one answer must have resolved in Elisha’s heart. The answer is to be doubly empowered. His resolve would haven’t been lesser than that of the woman with the issue of blood, although he was ignorant of the cost. He was ready at any cost to get his desire.

Before we proceed…

What point of your life will you come to, where your experience will relate to these men of old. Do you have past encounters with God becloud your soul to carry on with joy through the rugged terrains of this narrow way? When will you begin to divide a lot with the rich?

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