Elijah, Elisha, and Succession by Dr. Gary G. Hoag

A Biblical Approach to Succession

Five years ago, I wrote a post on succession that shared three lessons from Moses and Joshua, as found in Numbers 27:15-23. Find it here. Today, I offer three insights on succession from Elijah and Elisha in 2 Kings 2:1-18. Let us read the text to locate them.

1 When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 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. 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, “so be quiet.”

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. 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, “so be quiet.” 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.

7 Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 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. 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. 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, it will not.”

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 garment and tore it in two. 13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah 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.

15 The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 “Look,” they said, “we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has picked him up and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.” “No,” Elisha replied, “do not send them.” 17 But they persisted until he was too embarrassed to refuse. So he said, “Send them.” And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him. 18 When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”

Insights for Today

A fresh reading brings three groups or characters into view and insights for today: (1) the company of prophets in modern times refers to ministry constituents, (2) Elijah represents an outgoing servant, and (3) Elisha illustrates a present-day successor.

1. Spectators of succession do well to choose silence, follow the successor, and watch God do something new

The spectators in the story come from the company of prophets. It seems like they wanted to make the transition a spectacle (asking “Did you know” questions twice). Elisha asked for silence. Later, they refused to listen to him; the fifty insisted on a search. The number of the company, fifty, implies “Jubilee” or “new beginnings” in Scripture. Though spectators of succession like to talk during a transition and second-guess the successor, they do well to choose silence, follow instructions, and see God do a new thing.

2. Outgoing servants finish well by making their transition a reflective journey with a bold successor

See the movement in the text. God sent Elijah from Gilgal (the first Israelite camp in the Promised Land) to Bethel (associated with God’s presence and training prophets), across the Jordan (the water divided as it did for God’s people entering the Promised Land), and to Jericho (the first victory in the Promised Land). God made Elijah’s transition a journey of reflecting on God’s faithfulness. On the way, we see Elisha boldly ignore Elijah’s command to “stay here” three times. We also see Elisha ask for something only God could deliver (a double portion). Outgoing servants finish well by following God’s leading in transition and leaving bold requests with God to sort out.

3. Successors start well by remembering the God of their predecessor and standing up to peer pressure

Elisha had walked with Elisha. No wonder he wanted double the spirit that Elijah had! And in proclaiming his dependence on God, “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” We see the waters divide for him. Likewise, God wants to show up for successors today. But notice the peer pressure (“fifty able men”). Successors begin well by relying on God rather than their abilities at the start of their new journey.

I hope these three lessons help you do well, finish well, and/or start well in times of succession. It reveals my reflective experience as I follow God’s leading to transition from President & CEO of Global Trust Partners to Founder in two months.

Gary G. Hoag, Ph.D., serves as the President & CEO of GTP. In obedient service to Jesus Christ, GTP multiplies faithful stewards and mobilizes peer accountability groups (like ECFA) to build trust and to grow local giving to God’s work. To learn more, visit gtp.org.

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