Before Elijah’s departure, Elisha asked if he could be given a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. Elijah responded by saying, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” And as they still went on and talked, behold chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
What a fantastic sight!
Later in 2nd Kings, Elisha prays for a young man to see an entire mountain filled with horses and chariots of fire that was ready to fight on behalf of Israel. Furthermore, when Elisha is about to die, he also had a vision of Israel’s chariots and its horsemen. According to MacArthur, it was a symbol of God’s protection, that God was the real strength behind Elisha’s ministry and the power of Israel against her adversaries.
This kind of imagery gives us a brief glimpse of God’s power and might.
Artist: Karina
