2 Kings 2:1-14
2 Corinthians 4:1-6
Transfigured lifestyles, we believe is what God really wanted when Jesus
showed some of the disciples the transfiguration that took place in the
Bible.
The disciples saw Jesus being transfigured into His spiritual being when He
met with the spiritual beings of Moses and Elijah on the hilltop.
This wasn’t to be a mere curiosity for the disciples to see, it was to be a
life-changing event so that they would live a spiritual lifestyle.
Even if they were not transfigured, they were to truly understand the
heavenly will of God.
Thus, by living in the spiritual realm even while still upon the earth, the
disciples’ own lifestyles would be seen as being quite different from
others, so that what they taught would be more believable, even if some
people didn’t believe because of their hardness of heart.
We also believe that we can have what the angels are reported to have said
about Jesus’ birth: peace on earth and good will to all living beings.
Think about what it would be like if we had none of the violence and
corruption that cause millions of humans and billions of animals to suffer
and die every year.
We would no longer have all the chronic diseases that come from raising
animals for food, and our healthcare costs would dramatically go down.
We would no longer have most of the pollution and global warming that is
causing massive problems all around the world.
And we just learned recently that global warming and pollution are causing
premature births.
We would have enough food to feed everyone upon this earth.
We would no longer have the wars and terrorism that have been plaguing this
world; we would have peace.
Let’s think about these things, and in particular transforming lifestyles,
as we look at 2 Kings 2:1-14.
1. When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind,
Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.
From the above statement, we learn that Elijah has a transfigured lifestyle,
otherwise the Lord would not have been planning to take him up to heaven.
Elisha was Elijah’s assistant, and a lot more as we shall see as we read on
in this passage.
2. Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel."
But Elisha said, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not
leave you." So they went down to Bethel.
Elijah understood that the Lord was about to take him into heaven, and he
didn’t want Elisha troubled by what he might see.
However, here is where we see the bond that Elisha has with Elijah.
3. The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, "Do
you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?"
"Yes, I know," Elisha replied, "but do not speak of it."
The company of the prophets, whoever they may have been, obviously were
prompted by the Lord about what was about to happen, which indicates that
they were most likely living transfigured lifestyles to some extent.
And from what Elisha said, he also knew, but didn’t want to talk about it,
because he didn’t want Elijah to go.
4. Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to
Jericho."
And he replied, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not
leave you." So they went to Jericho.
This is the second time that Elijah told Elisha to “stay here” but he
refused to leave him.
Elisha’s bond to Elijah was very strong, but we are told nothing about his
bond with the Lord.
5. The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him,
"Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?"
"Yes, I know," he replied, "but do not speak of it."
Again, we are told about another company of the prophets who told Elisha the
same thing, and he replied the same way.
6. Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan."
And he replied, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not
leave you." So the two of them walked on.
This was the third time that Elijah told Elisha to “stay here” and again
Elisha replied the same way.
7. Fifty men of the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance,
facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan.
However, some of the prophets of Jericho, who obviously knew from the Lord
what was about to happen, stayed at a distance to observe.
8. Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The
water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over
on dry ground.
To do something like this requires a lot of faith which is proof that Elijah
had a transformed lifestyle.
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.
This is where we believe that Elisha really wanted to be like Elijah and
accept the same responsibilities and be one of the people with transfigured
lifestyles, even if not as completely as we believe that Jesus points us
toward, and as we discussed in the beginning.
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."
Elijah knew that what Elisha asked for was not his to give; it was up to
God, and that is why he answered him in this way.
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.
This was a way of expressing mourning because Elisha had lost the father
figure he loved.
We also need to think about the fact that Elijah was taken directly into
heaven without having to pass through death.
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.
NIV
Elisha didn’t seem to be completely sure that the spirit that was upon
Elijah was upon him, and we believe that was the main reason that he said
what he said.
And most importantly, we all need to realize that the God of Elijah is also
our God, and that together, we all need to have transfigured lifestyles.
In 2 Corinthians 4:1-6, Paul writes about having transfigured lifestyles,
even though it isn’t by that name.
1. Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not
lose heart.
When we have transfigured lifestyles, we do not lose heart when faced with
adversity; we just keep plugging away at whatever ministry God has blessed
us with.
Then Paul goes on and stated some of the things that were required to have
transfigured lifestyles.
2. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use
deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting
forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in
the sight of God.
To do this, we need to have heavenly love, compassion, and empathy, for we
need to feel what others feel, whether humans or other animals.
3. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are
perishing.
Even if parts of the gospel message and the heavenly will of God are unclear
to us, they are even moreso for the unbeliever.
Remember that these things were unclear to Elisha after Elijah was
translated into heaven.
4. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they
cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image
of God.
Paul was referring to the spiritual image and not the physical image, for
God is all spirit.
5. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves
as your servants for Jesus' sake.
This happens when we are truly born again and are filled with the Holy
Spirit.
6. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light
shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of
God in the face of Christ.
NIV
If we truly believe and accept this heavenly light, we not only shine this
light into the darkness of this world, but this is what gives us
transfigured lifestyles.
Amen?
Amen.
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