Christians and Jews ONLY, please?

Question

What is your understanding of the meaning of 2 Kings 2:12?

Oy ... Let me clarify: I understand it, but do you?

Answer 1

There is no way of "understanding" that specific scripture without reading the full text. Lord, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, please give me Your explanations and not my own, so that the person who asks this question may understand Your Word. In Jesus Name, Amen.


Let's start with 2:12 and then explain, since your question was specific. This chapter is actually when the Holy Spirit is put onto the Earth by Elijah onto Elisha.

2:12 My father - So Elisha calls Elija "father" because he felt fatherly affection for him, and Elisha respected Elija's fatherly authority which over him. In respect the scholars of the prophets are called their sons.

He saw his own condition like that of a fatherless child, and grieves because he feels like an orphan.

"Who by thy example, and counsels, and prayers, and power with God, did more for the defence and preservation of Israel than all their chariots and horses." That expression alludes to the form of chariots and horses which he had seen take up Elijah into heaven.

Now, at the beginning of this chapter, Elijah has returned and is talking with Elisha. Elija is said in the scriptures to not have died as we humans understand death; but that he was swept up in a whirlwind and ascended into heaven in a firey chariot.

Elisha [ one of the most famous prophets] loved Elijah [ now a appearing as a man but is a spirit] like a father, and Elisha also loved God. So when Elijah showed himself to him, Elisha wasn't going to go anywhere until he'd heard whatever Elijah had to say to him.

Elisha begins to tell Elijah what some of the "sons of the prophets" [false prophets - evili people]] had told to him. But Elisha wasn't going to listen to their lies, and he told them to be quiet. Elijah knows he must return to heaven, but before he leaves he promises to leave his spirit with Elisha "in double portion".

At that time, place, and moment, the Holy Spirit is put on the Earth through Elisha. The false prophets sons are defeated, the Jordan is divided in two, and all of those false prophets' sons then bow down to Elisha and are changed---saved--by the power of the Spirit of Elijah---which is the Holy Spirit.

Bethel and Jericho fell that day, and Elisha cursed all of the men that continued to try and kill him. Bears came out of the woods and ate the young sons of the false prophets that were following Elisha to kill him.

Answer 2

To carry out the responsibility as a prophet to Israel, Elisha would need the same spirit that Elijah had shown, that of courage and fearlessness. Realizing this, Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. Elisha was appointed by Elijah as his successor and had been his attendant for six years, so Elisha viewed Elijah as his spiritual father; Elisha was like the firstborn spiritual son of Elijah. (1 Kings 19:19-21; 2 Kings 2:12) Hence, just as the literal firstborn received two parts of his father’s inheritance, Elisha asked for and received two parts of spiritual inheritance from Elijah.2:11—What were “the heavens” to which “Elijah went ascending in the windstorm”? These were neither the distant parts of the physical universe nor the spiritual place where God and his angelic sons dwell. (Deuteronomy 4:19; Psalm 11:4; Matthew 6:9; 18:10) “The heavens” to which Elijah ascended were the atmospheric heavens. (Psalm 78:26; Matthew 6:26) Racing through earth’s atmosphere, the fiery chariot evidently transferred Elijah to another part of the earth, where he continued living for a time. Years later, in fact, Elijah wrote a letter to Jehoram, the king of Judah.—2 Chronicles 21:1, 12-15.The Bible does not say that Elijah died on that occasion. As a matter of fact, Elijah was still alive and active as a prophet at least five years later, apparently over in the territory of Judah. The Bible tells us: “Eventually there came a writing to [Jehoram, king of Judah] from Elijah the prophet.” This letter foretold the sickness and death of Jehoram because of his wrong, idolatrous course. (2 Chron. 21:12-15) A further evidence that Elijah did not die at the time of being taken into the “heavens” is that his servant and successor Elisha did not then hold the customary period of mourning for his master.—Compare 2 Samuel 19:1; 1 Chronicles 7:22; 2 Chronicles 35:24.
Jesus was the first to be resurrected into heaven so this upholds the accuracy of the Bible.

Answer 3

You really have to read the surrounding text to have a clue......

9 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.

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 not."

11 As 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. 12 Elisha 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 own clothes and tore them apart.

13 He picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the cloak that had fallen from him 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.



Elijah knew he was going to be taken and he was kinda training Elisha to take over for him. Elijah told Elisha that if he saw him being taken by the Lord, basically, he would receive the same abilities. Elisha did see and did inherent those abilities.

Answer 4

Elijah was considered a trusted leader or father figure to Elisha, very much loved and cherished. When he was taken up into Heaven, Elisha knew he would not see him again until the Saviour came back the second time and he would miss him sorely just as if he had died. It was the custom in severe sadness to tear your garment to show your anguish which Elisha did.

Answer 5

2 Kings 2:12 (New International Version)

12 Elisha 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 own clothes and tore them apart.

Answer 6

The previous verse makes it pretty clear:

As 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.

Apparently to Elisha the Chariots looked pretty real and solid not wispy and ethereal. I think that's what happened to Enoch too!!

Answer 7

Elijah was taken by a chariot of the Lord presumably to heaven.

Also a description of an alien abduction.

Answer 8

a strong wind took elijah up into heavenand elishasaw this and shouted,"Israel's cavalry and chariots have taken my master away!"and when elijah disappeared,elisha tore off his clothes in sorrow.that is the best explanation i can give you>>>i hope it helps

Answer 9

Oh come on now, I want to play with Elisha and his bears too!

Answer 10

Elijah died and Elisha was sad?