The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Kings 2:11,
"As they [the prophets Elijah and Elisha] 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."
We read in Hebrews 9:27 that people are destined to die once (and afterward to face judgment). Not so for Elijah, the prophet of God. He was one man that did not experience a physical death as the rest of us. As we read in the above text, he left this life without a physical death.
"As they [the prophets Elijah and Elisha] 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."
We read in Hebrews 9:27 that people are destined to die once (and afterward to face judgment). Not so for Elijah, the prophet of God. He was one man that did not experience a physical death as the rest of us. As we read in the above text, he left this life without a physical death.
He will not be the only one. We read that believers who are alive and remain in this life at the end of the age when Jesus returns will not experience death either, but will be transformed into the bodies all believers will have in the next age - bodies that will never see death.
This account of Elijah reminds me of these things and the realities of things unseen in this world. It brings to mind a very encouraging passage from Paul, "According to the Lord's word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep [experienced their physical death]. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.
This account of Elijah reminds me of these things and the realities of things unseen in this world. It brings to mind a very encouraging passage from Paul, "According to the Lord's word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep [experienced their physical death]. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.
The excitement this inspires within me is beyond words to express! How wonderful the hope we believers have in the Lord!!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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