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TEXT: 2 Kings 2:1-14
ELIJAH was one of God’s best helpers. One of the most wonderful things we could ever think of, going to Heaven, was going to happen to Elijah. God was going to take him right up into the sky and on up, up, up into Heaven. Yes, God was going to take Elijah right up into the sky to Heaven that very day. Elijah did not know just what time God was going to do that, but he knew this was the day.
God loved Elijah so much! God was glad to have had such a good man for His helper. God needs helpers.
Elijah might have been very tired from all the work he had done for God. It was time for him to rest. Elijah was an old man now. Elijah had had lots of troubles, but God always took good care of him. Now Elijah was going to live with God pretty soon. He would be rewarded for all he had done for God.
Elijah had a good friend and a helper. His name was almost like Elijah’s. It was Elisha. These two men loved each other very much. On this very special day the two friends stayed real close to each other, waiting for the minute when God would come and take Elijah way up in the sky to his happy new home.
God had told Elijah that he must go to the little city of Bethel that day. Elisha did not let him go alone. He was not going to leave Elijah. So, the two friends walked together to Bethel. There their friends told Elisha about Elijah’s happy promise from God, that he was going to Heaven.
There were some more friends Elijah wanted to see in another town. He told Elisha he did not have to walk all that long way with him, but Elisha did not want to leave Elijah for one minute. He went everywhere Elijah went and stayed close by him all the time.
Elijah asked his good friend Elisha what he could do to make him happy before he went to Heaven. The answer in Elisha’s heart was: “Oh, I want to work for God. I want to do as many good things as you have done and twice more. That is what I want.”
That was a hard thing he was asking, but Elijah said: “If you see me when God takes me from you up to Heaven, God will give you what you wish.”
Oh, how carefully Elisha watched Elijah. That is why he went everywhere Elijah went. That is why he would not leave him for one little minute. He wanted to be with Elijah when God came for him.
Elijah and Elisha were walking along together and talking. Suddenly, right out of Heaven came a chariot of fire and horses of fire. They picked up Elijah. Up, up, up in the wind, riding in the beautiful chariot of God’s fire went Elijah up to Heaven. God’s fire did not burn Elijah. God’s fire is not like our fire. It did not hurt Elijah. It just made others know that it really was God who took Elijah away.
Jesus is coming to take us to Heaven someday, too. Maybe not like that, but He is going to come back here again and take all the boys and girls and big people who love Him up to Heaven, too. Elijah will be up there. We will see him.
When Elijah went up in the chariot to Heaven, Elisha looked up into the sky, and he looked and looked until he could not see Elijah any more.
Something fell down from the sky to the ground. Elijah had dropped his robe-coat for Elisha. How happy Elisha was to see that robe! He took off his own robe-coat and put on the one Elijah had dropped for him. Now he felt brave and strong like Elijah had been.
God had given Elisha his wish. He did many, many wonderful things for God just as Elijah had done. If we stay as close to Jesus all the time as Elisha did to Elijah before he went to Heaven we can be Jesus’ helpers. And we will go up into the sky to be with Jesus when He comes for His children.
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