We
left Elijah at the entrance of Jezreel, still appearing publicly, and all
the people's eyes upon him. In this chapter we have him again absconding,
and driven into obscurity, at a time when he could ill be spared; but we are
to look upon it as a punishment to
Israel
for the insincerity and inconstancy of their reformation. When people
will not learn it is just with God to remove their teachers into corners.
Now observe, I. How he was driven into banishment by the malice of Jezebel
his sworn enemy, ver. 1-3. II. How he was met, in his banishment, by the
favour of God, his covenant-friend. 1. How God fed him, ver. 4-8. 2. How he
conversed with him, and manifested himself to him (ver. 9, 11-13), heard his
complaint (ver. 10-14), directed him what to do (ver. 15-17), and encouraged
him, ver. 18. III. How his hands were strengthened, at his return out of
banishment, by the joining of Elisha with him, ver. 19-21.
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Elijah's
Flight from Jezebel.
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B.
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1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had
done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to
me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by
to morrow about this time. 3 And when he saw that, he
arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth
to Judah, and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a
day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper
tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is
enough; now, O LORD,
take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. 5
And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched
him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. 6 And he looked,
and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of
water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
7 And the angel of the LORD
came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat;
because the journey is too great for thee. 8 And he
arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty
days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
One would have expected, after such a public and sensible manifestation of
the glory of God and such a clear decision of the controversy depending
between him and Baal, to the honour of Elijah, the confusion of Baal's
prophets, and the universal satisfaction of the people--after they had seen
both fire and water come from heaven at the prayer of Elijah, and both in
mercy to them, the one as it signified the acceptance of their offering, the
other as it refreshed their inheritance, which was weary--that now
they would all, as one man, return to the worship of the God of Israel and
take Elijah for their guide and oracle, that he would thenceforward be
prime-minister of state, and his directions would be as laws both to king
and kingdom. But it is quite otherwise; he is neglected whom God honoured;
no respect is paid to him, nor care taken of him, nor any use made of him,
but, on the contrary, the land of Israel, to which he had been, and might
have been, so great a blessing, is now made too hot for him. 1. Ahab
incensed Jezebel against him. That queen-consort, it seems, was in effect
queen-regent, as she was afterwards when she was queen-dowager, an imperious
woman that managed king and kingdom and did what she would. Ahab's
conscience would not let him persecute Elijah (some remains he had in him of
the blood and spirit of an Israelite, which tied his hands), but he told
Jezebel all that Elijah had done (v. 1), not to convince, but to
exasperate her. It is not said he told her what God had done, but
what Elijah had done, as if he, by some spell or charm, had brought
fire from heaven, and the hand of the Lord had not been in it. Especially he
represented to her, as that which would make her outrageous against him,
that he had slain the prophets; the prophets of Baal he calls the
prophets, as if none but they were worthy of the name. His heart was set
upon them, and he aggravated the slaying of them as Elijah's crime, without
taking notice that it was a just reprisal upon Jezebel for killing God's
prophets, ch. xviii. 4. Those who, when they cannot for shame or fear
do mischief themselves, yet stir up others to do it, will have it laid to
their charge as if they had themselves done it. 2. Jezebel sent him a
threatening message (v. 2), that she had vowed and sworn to be the
death of him within twenty-four hours. Something prevents her from doing it
just now, but she resolves it shall not be long undone. Note, Carnal hearts
are hardened and enraged against God by that which should convince and
conquer them and bring them into subjection to him. She swears by her gods,
and, raging like one distracted, curseth herself if she slay not him,
without any proviso of a divine permission. Cruelty and confidence often
meet in persecutors. I will pursue, I will overtake, Exod. xv. 9. But
how came she to send him word of her design, and so to give him an
opportunity of making his escape? Did she think him so daring that he would
not flee, or herself so formidable that she could prevent him? Or was there
a special providence in it, that she should be thus infatuated by her own
fury? I am apt to think that though she desired nothing more than his blood,
yet, at this time, she durst not meddle with him for fear of the people,
all counting him a prophet, a great prophet, and therefore sent this
message to him merely to frighten him and get him out of the way. for the
present, that he might not carry on what he had begun. The backing of her
threats with an oath and imprecation does not at all prove that she really
intended to slay him, but only that she intended to make him believe so. The
gods she swore by could do her no harm. 3. Elijah, hereupon, in a great
fright, fled for his life, it is likely by night, and came to Beer-sheba, v.
3. Shall we praise him for this? We praise him not. Where was the courage
with which he had lately confronted Ahab and all the prophets of Baal? Nay,
which kept him by his sacrifice when the fire of God fell upon it? He that
stood undaunted in the midst of the terrors both of heaven and earth
trembles at the impotent menaces of a proud passionate woman. Lord, what
is man! Great faith is not always alike strong. He could not but know
that he might be very serviceable to Israel at this juncture, and had all
the reason in the world to depend upon God's protection while he was doing
God's work; yet he fled. In his former danger God had bidden him hide
himself (ch. xvii. 3), therefore he supposed he might do so now. 4.
From Beer-sheba he went forward into the wilderness, that vast howling
wilderness in which the Israelites wandered. Beer-sheba was so far distant
from Jezreel, and within the dominion of so good a king as Jehoshaphat, that
he could not but be safe there; yet, as if his fears haunted him even when
he was out of the reach of danger, he could not rest there, but went a day's
journey into the desert. Yet perhaps he retired thither not so much for his
safety as that he might be wholly retired from the world, in order to a more
free and intimate communion with God. He left his servant at Beer-sheba
that he might be private in the wilderness, as Abraham left his servants at
the bottom of the hill when he went up into the mount to worship God, and as
Christ in the garden was withdrawn from his disciples, or perhaps it
was because he would not expose his servant, who was young and tender, to
the hardships of the wilderness, which would have been putting new wine into
old bottles. We ought thus to consider the frame of those who are under our
charge, for God considers ours. 5. Being wearied with his journey, he grew
cross (like children when they are sleepy) and wished he might die, v.
4. He requested for his life (so it is in the margin), that he
might die; for death is life to a good man; the death of the body is the
life of the soul. Yet that was not the reason why he wished to die; it was
not the deliberate desire of grace, as Paul's, to depart and be with
Christ, but the passionate wish of his corruption, as Job's. Those that
are, in this manner, forward to die are not in the fittest frame for dying.
Jezebel has sworn his death, and therefore he, in a fret, prays for it, runs
from death to death, yet with this difference, he wishes to die by the hand
of the Lord, whose tender mercies are great, and not to fall into the hands
of man, whose tender mercies are cruel. He would rather die in the
wilderness than as Baal's prophet died, according to Jezebel's threatening (v.
2), lest the worshippers of Baal should triumph and blaspheme the God of
Israel, whom they will think themselves too hard for, if they can run down
his advocate. He pleads, "It is enough. I have done enough, and
suffered enough. I am weary of living." Those that have secured a
happiness in the other world will soon have enough of this world. He pleads,
"I am not better than my fathers, not better able to bear those
fatigues, and therefore why should I be longer burdened with them than they
were?" But is this that my lord Elijah? Can that great and
gallant spirit shrink thus? God thus left him to himself, to show that when
he was bold and strong it was in the Lord and the power of his might,
but of himself he was no better than his fathers or brethren. 6. God,
by an angel, fed him in that wilderness, into the wants and perils of which
he had wilfully thrown himself, and in which, if God had not graciously
succoured him, he would have perished. How much better does God deal with
his froward children than they deserve! Elijah, in a pet, wished to die; God
needed him not, yet he designed further to employ and honour him, and
therefore sent an angel to keep him alive. Our case would be bad
sometimes if God should take us at our word and grant us our foolish
passionate requests. Having prayed that he might die, he laid down and
slept (v. 5), wishing it may be to die in his sleep, and not to
awake again; but he is awakened out of his sleep, and finds himself not only
well provided for with bread and water (v. 6), but, which was more,
attended by an angle, who guarded him when he slept, and twice called him to
his food when it was ready for him, v. 5, 7. He needed not to
complain of the unkindness of men when it was thus made up by the
ministration of angels. Thus provided for, he had reason to think he had
fared better than the prophets of the groves, that did eat at
Jezebel's table. Wherever God's children are, as they are still upon
their Father's ground, so they are still under their Father's eye and care.
They may lose themselves in a wilderness, but God has not lost them; there
they may look at him that lives and sees them, as Hagar, Gen. xvi.
13. 7. He was carried, in the strength of this meat, to Horeb, the mount
of God, v. 8. Thither the Spirit of the Lord led him, probably
beyond his own intention, that he might have communion with God in the same
place where Moses had, the law that was given by Moses being revived by him.
The angel bade him eat the second time, because of the greatness of the
journey that was before him, v. 7. Note God knows what he
designs us for, though we do not, what service, what trials, and will take
care for us when we, for want of foresight, cannot for ourselves, that we be
furnished for them with grace sufficient. He that appoints what the
voyage shall be will victual the ship accordingly. See how many different
ways God took to keep Elijah alive; he fed him by ravens, with multiplied
meals--then by an angel--and now, to show that man lives not by bread
alone, he kept him alive forty days without meat, not resting and
sleeping, which might make him the less to crave sustenance, but continually
traversing the mazes of the desert, a day for a year of Israel's wanderings;
yet he neither needs food nor desires it. The place, no doubt, reminds him
of the manna, and encourages him to hope that God will sustain him here, and
in due time bring him hence, as he did Israel, though, like him, fretful and
distrustful.
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Elijah's
Converse with God.
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9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged
there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here,
Elijah? 10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD
God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown
down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even
I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 11 And
he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD.
And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and
strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD;
but the LORD
was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the
LORD
was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a
fire; but the LORD
was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his
face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave.
And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou
here, Elijah? 14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD
God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant,
thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even
I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 15 And
the LORD
said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when
thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: 16 And
Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and
Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be
prophet in thy room. 17 And it shall come to pass, that
him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth
from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. 18 Yet I have left me
seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and
every mouth which hath not kissed him.
Here is, I. Elijah housed in a cave at Mount Horeb, which is called the
mount of God, because on it God had formerly manifested his glory. And
perhaps this was the same cave, or cleft of a rock, in which Moses was
hidden when the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed his name,
Exod. xxxiii. 22. What Elijah proposed to himself in coming to lodge here, I
cannot conceive, unless it was to indulge his melancholy, or to satisfy his
curiosity and assist his faith and devotion with the sight of that famous
place where the law was given and where so many great things were done, and
hoping to meet with God himself there, where Moses met with him, or in token
of his abandoning his people Israel, who hated to be reformed (in the latter
case, it agrees with Jeremiah's wish, Jer. ix. 2, O that I had in the
wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men, that I might leave my people,
and go from them, for they are all adulterers) and so it was a bad omen
of God's forsaking them; or it was because the thought he could not be safe
any where else, and to this instance of the hardships this good man was
reduced to the apostle refers, Heb. xi. 38. They wandered in deserts and
in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
II. The visit God paid to him there and the enquiry he made concerning him: The
word of the Lord came to him. We cannot go any where to be out of the
reach of God's eye, his arm, and his word. Whither can I flee from thy
Spirit? Ps. cxxxix. 7, &c. God will take care of his out-casts; and
those who, for his sake, are driven out from among men, he will find, and
own, and gather with everlasting loving-kindnesses. John saw the visions of
the Almighty when he was in banishment in the isle of Patmos, Rev. i. 9. The
question God puts to the prophet it, What doest thou here, Elijah?
v. 9, and again v. 13. This is a reproof, 1. For his fleeing
hither. "What brings thee so far from home? Dost thou flee from
Jezebel? Couldst thou not depend upon almighty power for thy
protection?" Lay the emphasis upon the pronoun thou. "What thou!
So great a man, so great a prophet, so famed for resolution--dost thou flee
thy country, forsake thy colours thus?" This cowardice would have been
more excusable in another, and not so bad an example. Should such a man
as I flee? Neh. vi. 11. Howl, fir-trees, if the cedars be thus shaken.
2. For his fixing here. "What doest thou here, in this cave? Is this a
place for a prophet of the Lord to lodge in? Is this a time for such men to
retreat, when the public has such need of them?" In the retirement to
which God sent Elijah (ch. xvii.) he was a blessing to a poor widow
at Sarepta, but here he had no opportunity of doing good. Note, It concerns
us often to enquire whether we be in our place and in the way of our duty.
"Am I where I should be, whither God calls me, where my business lies,
and where I may be useful?"
III. The account he gives of himself, in answer to the question put to him (v.
10), and repeated, in answer to the same question, v. 14.
1. He excuses his retreat, and desires it may not be imputed to his want of
zeal for reformation, but to his despair of success. For God knew, and his
own conscience witnessed for him, that as long as there was any hope of
doing good he had been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts; but
now that he had laboured in vain, and all his endeavours were to no
purpose, he thought it was time to give up the cause, and mourn for what he
could not mend. Abi in cellam, et dic, Miserere mei--"Away to thy
cell, and cry, Have compassion on me."
2. He complains of the people, their obstinacy in sin, and the height of
impiety to which they had arrived: "The children of Israel have
forsaken thy covenant, and that is the reason I have forsaken them; who
can stay among them, to see every thing that is sacred ruined and run
down?" This the apostle calls his making intercession against
Israel, Rom. xi. 2, 3. He had often been, of choice, their advocate, but
now he is necessitated to be their accuser, before God. Thus John v. 45, There
is one that accuseth you, even Moses, whom you trust. Those are truly
miserable that have the testimony and prayers of God's prophets against
them. (1.) He charges them with having forsaken God's covenant; though they
retained circumcision, that sign and seal of it, yet they had quitted his
worship and service, which was the intention of it. Those who neglect God's
ordinances, and let fall their communion with him, do really forsake his
covenant, and break their league with him. (2.) With having thrown down
his altars, not only deserted them and suffered them to go to decay,
but, in their zeal for the worship of Baal, wilfully demolished them. This
alludes to the private altars which the prophets of the Lord had, and which
good people attended, who could not go up to Jerusalem and would not worship
the calves nor Baal. These separate altars, though breaking in upon the
unity of the church, yet, being erected and attended by those that sincerely
aimed at the glory of God and served him faithfully, the seeming schism was
excused. God owned them for his altars, as well as that at Jerusalem, and
the putting of them down is charged upon Israel as a crying sin. But this
was not all. (3.) They have slain thy prophets with the sword, who,
it is probable, ministered at those altars. Jezebel, a foreigner, slew them
(ch. xviii. 4), but the crime is charged upon the body of the people
because the generality of them were consenting to their death, and
pleased with it.
3. He gives the reasons why he retired into this desert and took up his
residence in this cave. (1.) It was because he could not appear to any
purpose: "I only am left, and have none to second or support me
in any good design. They all said, The Lord he is God, but none of
them would stand by me nor offer to shelter me. That point then gained was
presently lost again, and Jezebel can do more to debauch them than I can to
reform them. What can one do against thousands?" Despair of success
hinders many a good enterprise. No one is willing to venture alone,
forgetting that those are not alone who have God with them. (2.) It was
because he could not appear with any safety: "They seek my life to
take it away; and I had better spend my life in a useless solitude than
lose my life in a fruitless endeavour to reform those that hate to be
reformed."
IV. God's manifestation of himself to him. Did he come hither to meet with
God? He shall find that God will not fail to give him the meeting. Moses was
put into the cave when God's glory passed before him; but Elijah was called
out of it: Stand upon the mount before the Lord, v. 11. He saw
no manner of similitude, any more than Israel did when God talked to
them in Horeb. But, 1. He heard a strong wind, and saw the terrible
effects of it, for it rent the mountains and tore the rocks. Thus was the
trumpet sounded before the Judge of heaven and earth, by his angels, whom he
makes spirits, or winds (Ps. civ. 4), sounded so loud that the
earth not only rang, but rent again. 2. He felt the shock of an earthquake.
3. He saw an eruption of fire, v. 12. These were to usher in the
designed manifestation of the divine glory, angels being employed in them,
whom he maketh a flame of fire, and who, as his ministers, march
before him, to prepare in this desert a highway for our God. But, 4.
At last he perceived a still small voice, in which the Lord was,
that is, by which he spoke to him, and not out of the wind, or the
earthquake, or the fire. Those struck an awe upon him, awakened his
attention, and inspired humility and reverence; but God chose to make known
his mind to him in whispers soft, not in those dreadful sounds. When he
perceived this, (1.) He wrapped hi face in his mantle, as one afraid
to look upon the glory of God, and apprehensive that it would dazzle his
eyes and overcome him. The angels cover their faces before God in
token of reverence, Isa. vi. 2. Elijah hid his face in token of shame for
having been such a coward as to flee from his duty when he had such a God of
power to stand by him in it. The wind, and earthquake, and fire, did not
make him cover his face, but the still voice did. Gracious souls are more
affected by the tender mercies of the Lord than by his terrors. (2.) He
stood at the entrance of the cave, ready to hear what God had to say to him.
This method of God's manifesting himself here at Mount Horeb seems to refer
to the discoveries God formerly made of himself at this place to Moses. [1.]
Then there was a tempest, an earthquake, and fire (Heb. xii. 18); but, when
God would show Moses his glory, he proclaimed his goodness; and so
here: He was, the Word was, in the still small voice. [2.]
Then the law was thus given to Israel, with the appearances of terror first
and then with a voice of words; and Elijah being now called to revive that
law, especially the first two commandments of it, is here taught how to
manage it; he must not only awaken and terrify the people with amazing
signs, like the earthquake and fire, but he must endeavour, with a still
small voice, to convince and persuade them, and not forsake them when he
should be addressing them. Faith comes by hearing the word of God; miracles
do but make way for it. [3.] Then God spoke to his people with terror; but
in the gospel of Christ, which was to be introduced by the spirit and power
of Elias, he would speak by a still small voice, the dread of which should
not make us afraid; see Heb. xii. 18, &c.
V. The orders God gives him to execute. He repeats the question he had put
to him before, "What doest thou here? This is not a place for
thee now." Elijah gives the same answer (v. 14), complaining of
Israel's apostasy from God and the ruin of religion among them. To this God
gives him a reply. When he wished he might die (v. 4) God
answered him not according to his folly, but was so far from letting him die
that he not only kept him alive then but provided that he should never die,
but be translated. But when he complained of his discouragement (and whither
should God's prophets go with their complaints of that kind but to their
Master?) God gave him an answer. He sends him back with directions to
appoint Hazael king of Syria (v. 15), Jehu king of Israel, and Elisha
his successor in the eminency of the prophetical office (v. 16),
which is intended as a prediction that by these God would chastise the
degenerate Israelites, plead his own cause among them, and avenge the
quarrel of his covenant, v. 17. Elijah complained that the
wickedness of Israel was unpunished. The judgment of famine was too gentle,
and had not reclaimed them; it was removed before they were reformed: "I
have been jealous," says he, "for God's name, but he himself
has not appeared jealous for it." "Well," says God, "be
content; it is all in good time; judgments are prepared for those
scorners, though they are not yet inflicted; the persons are pitched
upon, and shall now be nominated, for they are now in being, who shall do
the business." 1. "When Hazael comes to be king of Syria, he shall
make bloody work among the people (2 Kings viii. 12) and so correct them for
their idolatry." 2. "When Jehu comes to be king of Israel he shall
make bloody work with the royal family, and shall utterly destroy the house
of Ahab, that set up and maintained idolatry." 3. "Elisha, while
thou art on earth, shall strengthen thy hands; and, when thou art gone,
shall carry on thy work, and be a remaining witness against the apostasy of
Israel, and even he shall slay the children of Bethel, that idolatrous
city." Note, The wicked are reserved to judgment. Evil pursues
sinners, and there is no escaping it; to attempt an escape is but to run
from one sword's point upon another. See Jer. xlviii. 44, He that flees
from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that gets up out of the pit
shall be taken in the snare. Elisha, with the sword of the Spirit,
shall terrify and wound the consciences of those who escape Hazael's sword
of war and Jehu's sword of justice. With the breath of his lips shall he
slay the wicked, Isa. xi. 4; 2 Thess. ii. 8; Hos. vi. 5. It is a great
comfort to good men and good ministers to think that God will never want
instruments to do his work in his time, but, when they are gone, others
shall be raised up to carry it on.
VI. The comfortable information God gives him of the number of Israelites
who retained their integrity, though he thought he was left alone (v.
18): I have left 7000 in Israel (besides Judea) who have not bowed
the knee to Baal. Note, 1. In times of the greatest degeneracy and
apostasy God has always had, and will have, a remnant faithful to him, some
that keep their integrity and do not go down the stream. The apostle
mentions this answer of God to Elijah (Rom. xi. 4) and applies it to his own
day, when the Jews generally rejected the gospel. Yet, says he, at
this time also there is a remnant, v. 5. 2. It is God's work to
preserve that remnant, and distinguish them from the rest, for without his
grace they could not have distinguished themselves: I have left me;
it is therefore said to be a remnant according to the election of grace.
3. It is but a little remnant, in comparison with the degenerate race; what
are 7000 to the thousands of Israel? Yet, when those of every age come
together, they will be found many more, 12,000 sealed out of each tribe,
Rev. vii. 4. 4. God's faithful ones are often his hidden ones (Ps. lxxxiii.
3), and the visible church is scarcely visible, the wheat lost in the chaff
and the gold in the dross, till the sifting, refining, separating day comes.
5. The Lord knows those that are his, though we do not; he sees in
secret. 6. There are more good people in the world than some wise and holy
men think there are. Their jealousy of themselves, and for God, makes them
think the corruption is universal; but God sees not as they do. When we come
to heaven, as we shall miss a great many whom we thought to meet there, so
we shall meet a great many whom we little thought to find there. God's love
often proves larger than man's charity and more extensive.
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The
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19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha
the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of
oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and
cast his mantle upon him. 20 And he left the oxen, and ran after
Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then
I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I
done to thee? 21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke
of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the
oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went
after Elijah, and ministered unto him.
Elisha was named last in the orders God gave to Elijah, but he was first
called, for by him the other two were to be called. He must come in Elijah's
room; yet Elijah is forward to raise him, and is far from being jealous of
his successor, but rejoices to think that he shall leave the work of God in
such good hands. Concerning the call of Elisha observe, 1. That it was an
unexpected surprising call. Elijah found him by divine direction, or perhaps
he was before acquainted with him and knew where to find him. He found him,
not in the schools of the prophets, but in the field, not reading,
nor praying, nor sacrificing, but ploughing, v. 19. Though a
great man (as appears by his feast, v. 21), master of the ground, and
oxen, and servants, yet he did not think it any disparagement to him to
follow his business himself, and not only to inspect his servants, but
himself to lay his hand to the plough. Idleness is no man's honour, nor is
husbandry any man's disgrace. An honest calling in the world does not at all
put us out of the way of our heavenly calling, any more than it did Elisha,
who was taken from following the plough the feed Israel and to sow the seed
of the word, as the apostles were taken from fishing to catch men.
Elisha enquired not after Elijah, but was anticipated with this call. We
love God, and choose him, because he chose us, and loved us, first. 2. That
it was a powerful call. Elijah did but cast his mantle upon him. (v.
19), in token of friendship, that he would take him under his care and
tuition as he did under his mantle, and to be one with him in the same
clothes, or in token of his being clothed with the spirit of Elijah (now he
put some of his honour upon him, as Moses on Joshua, Num. xxvii. 20); but,
when Elijah went to heaven, he had the mantle entire, 2 Kings ii. 13. And
immediately he left the oxen to go as they would, and ran after
Elijah, and assured him that he would follow him presently, v.
20. An invisible hand touched his heart, and unaccountably inclined him by a
secret power, without any external persuasions, to quit his husbandry and
give himself to the ministry. It is in a day of power that Christ's subjects
are made willing (Ps. cx. 3), nor would any come to Christ unless they were
thus drawn. Elisha came to a resolution presently, but begged a little time,
not to ask leave, but only to take leave, of his parents. This
was not an excuse for delay, like his (Luke ix. 61) that desired he might bid
those farewell that were at home, but only a reservation of the respect
and duty he owed to his father and mother. Elijah bade him to back and do
it, he would not hinder him; nay, if he would, he might go back, and not
return, for any thing he had done to him. He will not force him, nor take
him against his will; let him sit down and count the cost, and make it his
own act. The efficacy of God's grace preserves the native liberty of man's
will, so that those who are good are good of choice and not by constraint,
not pressed men, but volunteers. 3. That it was a pleasant and acceptable
call to him, which appears by the farewell-feast he made for his family (v.
21), though he not only quitted all the comforts of his father's house, but
exposed himself to the malignity of Jezebel and her party. It was a
discouraging time for prophets to set out in. A man that had consulted with
flesh and blood would not be fond of Elijah's mantle, nor willing to wear
his coat; yet Elisha cheerfully, and with a great deal of satisfaction,
leaves all to accompany him. Thus Matthew made a great fast when he left the
receipt of custom to follow Christ. 4. That it was an effectual call. Elijah
did not stay for him, lest he should seem to compel him, but left him to his
own choice, and he soon arose, went after him, and not only associated with
him, but ministered to him as his servitor, poured water on his
hands, 2 Kings iii. 11. It is of great advantage to young ministers to
spend some time under the direction of those that are aged and experienced,
whose years teach wisdom, and not to think much, if occasion be, to minister
to them. Those that would be fit to teach must have time to learn; and those
that hope hereafter to rise and rule must be willing at first to stoop and
serve.
