ELIJAH TAKEN TO HEAVEN.

“Yes, I know it; hold your peace.”
Then Elijah told Elisha, that God
had sent him to Jordan; but Elisha
still kept close to his dear master,
and said, “I cannot, I will not leave
thee ;” so they came together to Jor-
dan. Ehjah took off his mantle,
and smote the waters with it; and
the waters divided, and Elijah and
Elisha went over on dry ground.
Then Elijah said to Elisha, “ Ask
now, what shall I give thee; what
shall I do for thee before I go
away?” Klijah had not any worldly
possessions to give; and Elisha did
not want them; for he knew they
could not make him happy. But
Elisha wanted to be like his master;
he wanted to be a holy prophet of
the Lord ; so he said, “ Let a double
portion of thy spirit be upon me.”
It was God’s Spirit that made Eli-
jah so holy, and that taught him to
prophesy, and to do the wonderful
things we have been reading about.
Could Elijah give the Holy Spirit
to Elisha? No; for that is the gift
of God alone; but Elijah could ask
God to give His Spirit to Elisha.
Elijah said, “Thou hast asked a
hard thing: but if thou see me
taken up, thou shalt have thy wish;
but if not, thou shalt not have it.”
Elisha asked for a good gift; may
we ask for ittoo? Yes; God prom-
ises to give His Holy Spirit to all
who-ask Him. Not the wonderful
spirit of prophecy which He gave
to Elijah; God does not now give
that to His people; but the Spirit
to cleanse and renew our hearts,
and to make us pure and holy.
Elijah and Elisha still went on,
and talked one to the other, for they
had much to say., Elijah was giv-
ing his last advice, and Elisha was
yery attentive to all his words, for

 

 

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he knew that he should never hear
his master speak again. But while
they were talking, a bright chariot
of fire appeared, and horses of fire.
They came from Heaven to carry up
Elijah safely there. Elijah was
parted from Elisha in a moment,
Elisha looked up, and he saw his
dear master in the bright chariot,
going to Heaven in joy and triumph,
and he cried, “O, my father, my
father!” But very soon Elisha
could see his master no more. He
was gone far away, above the clouds,
and the blue sky, to a world which
Elisha’s eye could not see. Then
Elisha felt very sad; and he took
his garments, and rent them in
pieces. He was alone now, without
Elijah to teach and comfort him ;
but when he remembered his mas-
ter’s happiness, he was comforted ;
and he thought, “When I die, I
shall see him again.”

All Elyjah’s troubles were ended
now. He had no more wicked, cruel
enemies to hurt him. He would
never be sorry again, as he was in
the wilderness of Beersheba. God’s
people are glad to go away from this
world, because it is a world of sin;
and they are glad to go to Heaven,
because that is a world of holiness;
a world where God is; and. where
they will see Him face to face. They
are not taken up to Heaven in
chariots of fire; that was an honor
God gave to Elijah alone. Holy
people must now die before they
can go to Heaven, and perhaps they
may die in great pain and suffering ;
but God is with them to comfort
them; and soon all their sufferings
end, and then He sends His holy
angels to carry their happy souls to
Heaven.