Chariots and Mantles

“My father, my father, thou chariot of Israel, r.nd the horsemen thereof! ‘’ — 2 Kings 2: 12.

The translation I give of this text is approved by many eminent authorities; and whether it be strictly correct or not, the idea is certainly implied that Elijah himself was the chariot addressed by Elisha. Elisha was called of God and ordained by Elijah. His master informs him that he is going to leave the earth. A proof of the future life is needed. Elijah must not die a natural death, but must be carried up miraculously. He goes to see the schools of the prophets wrhich he had established at Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho. Elisha keeps with him, determined that his master shall not leave him for a moment. They cross the Jordan in view of the students of the college at Jericho. The waters are miraculously divided, and the two prophets go on toward the desert together.

There is a scene in heaven. A large oompany of angels are summoned to go and bring the faithful prophet to his final home. These angels are called in Scripture chariots of God. The word cherub means chariot. As Elijah and Elisha journeyed, the angelic host appears, and, sweeping down before them, Elijah is carried up as in a chariot of fire. Can we imagine the glory of their journey through the skies as, passing planet and star, onward and upwTard they go until they come in sight of the golden gates which are thrown wide open, and all heaven shouts at the entrance of the faithful prophet?

The meaning of the text is that Elijah was the strength and glory of Israel. Chariots and horsemen of an army were considered its special strength. From this we learn three things:

I. God shows His Power and Glory

THROUGH THE INDIVIDUAL.

Organizations, societies, and institutions are of value; but the individual is the most important factor in the advancement of God’s kingdom. Christ did not become an institution, but a man — “The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.” Elijah founded institutions of learning, but all combined were not equal to himself. The tongues of flame at Pentecost sat upon each of the disciples, not upon the company as a whole. God bears a personal relation to us, and through our personality He purposes to reach mankind. Of course an organization of many personalities may be stronger than any one personality; but let us realize that, in God’s economy, He wants, first of all, the individual prepared, equipped for His service.

And the power of each person in God’s kingdom is in proportion to his fatherhood. “My father, my father, thou strength of Israel, and glory thereof!” Elijah was the spiritual father of Elisha. He led him to leave his oxen and fields, and devote himself wholly to God; and the individuals who win most souls to Christ, who have thus the largest spiritual fatherhood, are the real chariots and horsemen of Israel. “They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever and ever.”

Mental acquisition, financial strength, social position will not make us such fathers of Israel; only the enduement of power from on high can form such chariots and horsemen. An individual full of the Holy Ghost is more powerful than a hundred organizations depending upon numbers and strength. Elijah stood alone at one time with God only on his side, and Elijah and God were stronger than all the forces of evil against them. As man, woman, child, let us link ourselves with God, and let Him pour His power through our personality; and, that He may do this, let us seek the best character possible.

II. God raises up Men of Power to take the Places of those He calls away.

As the chariot went up, Elijah’s mantle fell down. This rough garment of skin was the symbol of authority and powder. It was like the rod of Moses — nothing in itself, but chosen of God as a sort of symbol of His own omnipotence. This divine power Elisha needed: (1) To remove obstacles. The Jordan was in the way and must be divided. Its j/

swift, deep current could not be waded nor bridged. So we have in the path of our work Jordans of difficulty, and we need the mantle of powrer to smite them asunder. (2) To remedy evils. The poisoned water must be made sweet, and salt in itself will not sweeten it. The power of God, symbolized by the rough mantle, gave purity to the waters of Samaria. There is death in the pot, and the antidote of poison must be supplied. Men are covered with leprosy: the divine healing is needed. The fact is, this world is full of evils which need to be remedied, and only the divine power can cure them perfectly.

III. We need it to make a Little go a Great Way.

Elisha, invited to the home of the widow, must use miraculous power, that the cruse of oil and the meal in the barrel might not fail. Jesus could make a few loaves and fishes feed the five thousand; and only Jesus can do this. When we look to the wrork to be done and the means at hand with which to do it, it is as five fishes before five thousand men; it is as the little oil and meal with months of necessity

before us; but this divine power can multiply the fishes; can increase the oil and meal. We do not give as much to the glory of Christ as we should. His treasury may be emptied from stinginess, and those who do give all they can, who put at God’s disposal the little that they have, need the God of Elisha to make that little go a long way. Oh. the millions of heathen to be reached, with a few Christians and little money to-day at God’s disposal for it!

IV. We xeed this Divine Power to raise the Dead.

Men as dead spiritually, as was Lazarus physically, are at our doors. We cannot argue them into life; our teaching is powerless. Only the voice of God can bring them forth: and it is only through our consecration, through our wearing the mantle which sets us apart,’ that God speaks to the dead.

Now the question is. How can we get tins mantle of power? 1. By intensely desiring it. Elisha would not be put off. Elijah told him to leave, that he might test his faith; but his mind was made up to keep his eye on the master, for he had the promise if he saw him going up he would have a double portion of his spirit. We are told that the soldiers in Xerxes’ army must hear the crack of whips behind their backs to make them march to battle. Such a spirit will never be endued with power. Only those who seek this enduement above everything else will receive it in fulness.

2. By patient waiting upon God. The apostles chose, in the place of Judas, one who had companied with them all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among them, beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was received up from them. Elisha kept close to the prophet before his translation, and it was upon those who kept close to Christ before His translation that the Spirit of God came; and it is those who to-day walk with God — keep close to His side — that will receive the mantle of power. The men who learn the most of the earth-life of Christ, who grow in grace and in knowledge of Him, are most apt to be used by the Holy Spirit.

;. By appropriation. The mantle which dropped from Elijah did not fall upon the shoulders of Elisha: he had to pick it up: and God does not endue us with power in spite of ourselves. The Holy Spirit descended after the ascension of Christ. That is the mantle that Jesus, so to speak, dropped from Himself as He went into the skies: and we must by faith appropriate the Spirit. We must honor Him and expect Him to bless us. We are saved by faith in Christ; we are made powerful by faith in the Spirit. No man truly wears the mantle of God who looks upon the Spirit as neuter — as a mere influence. We must believe that He is with us — the very God — ready to work through our faith.

4. By using at once the faith and consecration we have. Elisha, as soon as he picked up the mantle, started back at once toward Jericho; and on reaching the Jordan he smote the waters, crying out: “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” and at the touch of the mantle the waters divided again. He did not think of folding up this sacred garment, and laying it aside as a memento of him who was gone: he looked upon it as for use: and so we should regard the presence of the Holy Spirit, who is not here on a holiday. His business is to work mightily through us. He is anxious that we should trust Him and use the power that He is willing to give. We are the Elishas who represent the ascended Elijah. As Christ was in the power of the Spirit, — led by Him; working through Him; raised from the dead by Him, — so we are to have the same power. “And greater works than these shall ye do, because I go to My Father.” Let us believe that the reign of the Spirit is the reign of power, and make our expectations great and our plans large.

V. After Men like Elijah have finished their Work, God takes them to Heaven in an Appropriate Manner.

Elijah means a chariot, and he was taken up in a chariot of fire. He was himself a flame of fire, consuming evil, purifying the good. The trend of his whole life was like the chariots and horsemen of an army — the glory of Israel; and it was appropriate that he should pass out of this world into heaven after the manner in which he lived; and whether the eyes of men see it or not, such is the departure of all who are true to God. We are saved by grace, but in a sense we make our own chariots in which we ride to heaven.

Paul said: 44 I have fought the good fight; finished my course; kept the faith;” and when we think of his dying, there gather about him the angels of light from his past life — glorious chariots of light, indeed, which accompany him into heaven. The soul of John Huss went up literally in a chariot of fire; and yet, as we think of his martyrdom in the meadow outside the walls of Constance, the glories of his faithful life gather about the scene, and, like the sunset at the close of day, the very clouds which hover about his death are made beautiful. When we think of William Carey’s death, there is suggested the missionary’s glory — the angels of mercy and the converted heathen attending. Shaftesbury and John Howard go up in a chariot of philanthropy. Jerry McAuley’s departure is in a chariot of glory made by a life of devotion to the lost of New York. I notice that this chariot came for Elijah while he was at work. Jericho was a wicked place, and at this centre of wickedness he had established a theological seminary. It was here he made his last address; it was here he did his last faithful service; and near this wicked Jericho comes the chariot of God to take him. May we all wear the mantle of power, that we may depart in the chariot of glory!