Daily Devotional For Monday, June 15, 2026
Good morning Southside and I pray your weekend in the Lord was one where you used your time to share your faith with someone lost, or encouraged a believer who was struggling or you spent time on growing your relationship to Jesus Christ. Today, our devotional comes from God’s own Chariots of Fire story. Elijah’s ascension into heaven on chariots of fire has always been a story that encouraged God’s people. For example, when the famous Welsh preacher Christmas Evans lay on his deathbed, this passage came to his mind, and perhaps also to his sight. His last triumphant words were: “Drive on! The chariots of God are twenty thousand” (Source: F. B. Meyer, Elijah: And the Secret of His Power, p. 167).
This story reminds us that death is not far for any of us. If you have lived 60, or 70 or 80 plus years, you are well aware of this. Those in their prime or youth, rarely even think about their deaths. It seems too far in the future. Even though Elijah would not die, by the time we get to 2 Kings 2, his time on this earth has come to an end. Elijah was well aware of this. We are not told how he knew, only that he did. So, he began to mentor Elisha to take his place as God’s prophet to God’s people. Elijah has been mentoring Elisha since 1 Kings 19. All 3 times Elijah attempted to leave Elisha for his next stop, Elisha refused to separate from his mentor.
The mentoring relationship that Elijah and Elisha shared is one of the clearest biblical examples of God’s master plan for building His church. The command of Christ is to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). Through relationships of personal ministry, one generation kindles the faith of the next and mentors it to do this. Every single Christian who loves the Lord and His kingdom should be a disciple and a discipler. Both, not one or the other.
The fact that Elisha did not stay behind was helpful to him. He got to make a request from Elijah that would have been lost. So, why did Elijah 3 times tell his mentee to stay behind? Probably to test Elisha – to prove if Elisha was ready to receive the mantle of God’s next prophet. Elisha’s request of Elijah to have a “double portion of Elijah’s spirit,” seems greedy. But this goes all the way back to the Old Testament where the oldest son was entitled to a “double portion”” of his father’s inheritance (see Deut. 21:17). Elisha was saying, “Elijah, I am your firstborn spiritual son. Please give me a double portion of God’s Holy Spirit.” Old Testament scholars Richard D. Patterson and Hermann J. Austel, write this:
“The enormity of the loss of Elijah, that spirit-filled and empowered prophet, must have so gripped the humble Elisha that, claiming his position as firstborn, he asked for the firstborn’s “double portion”—that is, for especially granted spiritual power far beyond his own capabilities to meet the responsibilities of the awesome task that lay before him” (Source: Richard D. Patterson and Hermann J. Austel, “1, 2 Kings” Expositor’s Bible Commentary, p. 176).
Elisha passed the test set by Elijah and the proof is that Elijah’s cloak fell from the sky as he was being taken up to heaven. Elisha picked up Elijah’s cloak and put it on, symbolizing the mantle as the prophet of God had now passed from Elijah to Elisha (see 2 Kgs. 2:13). This request was fulfilled and Elisha went on to live twice as long as Elijah and he performed twice the number of miracles for the Lord. This means that the qualifying proof for effective ministry is the living presence of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 6:3 and Acts 7:55). This example teaches younger Christians to ask for a double portion of the Holy Spirit in the models they see and associate with in the church. Elijah told Elisha that his request was not his to grant, but only God could do. There would be a test for Elisha to learn if he was ready to be God’s next prophet. If Elisha passed that test, God would grant Elisha’s request. The Bible does not tell us that Elijah was taken up in chariots of fire, but they were there to separate Elijah from Elisha. It says that Elijah was carried by a whirlwind to heaven. There is one other whose walk with God was so close that God did not let him die physically – Enoch. Can you imagine that you have a walk and relationship to Jesus Christ that He does not let you die?
When we come to the New Testament, Elijah’s ascension into heaven reminds us of Jesus' ascension into heaven also. Jesus’ body was taken up to heaven and what happened to Jesus happens to every genuinely saved person when they die – they are immediately taken from this world to heaven (2 Cor. 5:8). The Hebrew words translated as “went up” in verse 11 are [יַּ֙עַל֙, ya’al]. This does mean to ascend up but it also can denote a transition from an inferior to a superior situation, whether or not physical movement is required. The Israelites move from Egypt to the Promise Land is often referred to as “going up” or they “went up” (see 1 Sam. 8:8; 1 Sam. 15:2; 2 Kgs. 17:7; and 2 Kgs. 17:36). For Elijah to be taken up, meant he was taken up directly to God the Father.
Reflection Assignment: What impacts you most about this story and why? As far as we know, Enoch and Elijah are the only two people never to die because of their walk and relationship to God. What do you think it takes to get to this type of relationship to God and why do you think they were willing to build such a relationship to God? Are you willing to strive to have the same kind of relationship with Jesus Christ even if it means you will still die physically? Why or why not?
Scripture To Mediate On: Psalm 14:2, “The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; He looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God” (NLT).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, I want to be so close to You not so that I would not die physically, but so I can be like You. Thank You that when I die, You have already taken care of immediately taking me to Your eternal presence in heaven. I want to live every moment of my life as if it could be the last one on this earth for Your glory. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly