INTRODUCTION: This passage tells of the translation of Elijah to heaven, but the real story is about Elisha. He is determined to follow his master to the end and he desires a double portion of Elijah’s blessing. We see that he gets the blessing and begins to perform some of the miracles for which he is known. Oh, that we might follow hard after God (Psalm 63:8My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.
See All...) as Elisha followed hard after the spirit of Elijah!

1. ELISHA REFUSED TO PART FROM ELIJAH (2 Kings 2:1-8 [1] And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. [2] And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel. [3] And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. [4] And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho. [5] And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. [6] And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on. [7] And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. [8] And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.
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1. Elijah in Gilgal (2 Kings 2:1And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
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1. At the time when God was to take Elijah
1. Up into heaven
2. By a whirlwind
2. Elijah was found in Gilgal.
2. Elijah in Bethel (2 Kings 2:2-3 [2] And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel. [3] And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
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1. Elijah asked Elisha to tarry at Gilgal (2 Kings 2:2And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
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2. Elisha refused to tarry at Gilgal (2 Kings 2:2And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
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3. They both went down to Bethel (2 Kings 2:2And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
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4. The sons of the prophets reported to Elisha (2 Kings 2:3And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
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5. Bethel means house of God and is the place where Old Testament saints drew close to the Lord (Genesis 12:8And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.
   See All...; Genesis 13:3-4 [3] And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; [4] Unto the place of the altar, which he had make there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.
   See All...; Genesis 28:16-19 [16] And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. [17] And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. [18] And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. [19] And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.
   See All...; Genesis 31:13I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.
   See All...; Genesis 35:1-3 [1] And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. [2] Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: [3] And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.
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3. Elijah in Jericho (2 Kings 2:4-5 [4] And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho. [5] And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
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1. Elijah asked Elisha to tarry at Bethel (2 Kings 2:4And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
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2. Elisha refused to tarry at Bethel (2 Kings 2:4And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
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3. They both went on to Jericho (2 Kings 2:4And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
   See All...); Note: Although Jericho is technically down from Bethel, it is not called such in scripture because it does not fit the spiritual type.
4. The sons of the prophets reported to Elisha (2 Kings 2:5And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
   See All...).
4. Elijah at Jordan (2 Kings 2:6-8 [6] And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on. [7] And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. [8] And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.
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1. Elijah asked Elisha to tarry at Jericho (2 Kings 2:6And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
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2. Elisha refused to tarry at Jericho (2 Kings 2:6And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
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3. They both went on to Jordan (2 Kings 2:6And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
   See All...) and stood by it (2 Kings 2:7And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.
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4. The sons of the prophets went (2 Kings 2:7And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.
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1. Fifty of them
2. They stood to view afar off.
3. Note: many people want to get close enough to see the action but not close enough to be a part of it.
5. Elijah divided the waters of Jordan (2 Kings 2:8And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.
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1. With his mantle
1. He took it off.
2. He wrapped it together.
3. He smote the waters.
2. They two passed on dry ground.
2. ELISHA REQUESTED THE SPIRIT OF ELIJAH (2 Kings 2:9-11 [9] And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. [10] And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. [11] And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
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1. Elijah Received a Request from Elisha (2 Kings 2:9And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
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1. Elijah granted a request.
1. Ask what I shall do for you.
2. Before I be taken out of the way
3. Note: Elisha got this chance because he would not leave Elijah.
2. Elisha made his request.
1. For the spirit of Elijah
2. For a double portion of his spirit
2. Elijah Put a Stipulation on Elijah’s Request (2 Kings 2:10And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
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1. The request was a hard one.
2. The request depended on the presence of Elisha at the departing of Elijah.
3. This was the point from the beginning. Elisha received the spirit of Elijah because he would not let him go away from him. See Genesis 32:24-26 [24] And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. [25] And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. [26] And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
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3. Elijah Was Taken Up into Heaven (2 Kings 2:11And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
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1. Elijah and Elisha were parted asunder.
1. By a chariot of fire
2. By horses of fire
3. Note: Elisha stuck so close to Elijah that the Lord had to forcibly separate the two so He could rapture Elijah.
2. Elijah was taken into heaven by a whirlwind.
3. ELISHA RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF ELIJAH (2 Kings 2:12-15 [12] And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. [13] He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; [14] And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. [15] And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
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1. Elisha Responded to the Translation of Elijah (2 Kings 2:12And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
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1. He cried out.
1. My father, my father – he was very close to Elijah.
2. The chariot of Israel and the horsemen – this probably refers to his amazement at the display of God’s power.
2. He rent his clothes in two.
2. Elisha Took Up the Mantle of Elijah (2 Kings 2:13-14 [13] He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; [14] And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
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1. Elisha took up the mantle of Elijah (2 Kings 2:13He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
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2. Elisha smote the Jordan with the mantle (2 Kings 2:14And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
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3. Elisha asked: Where is the LORD God of Elijah? (2 Kings 2:14And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
   See All...; see Judges 6:13And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
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4. The waters parted for Elisha; Note: it is not so much the man of God as it is the God of the man that makes the difference. Most men exalt themselves or other men. True men of God exalt the Lord.
3. Elisha Received Recognition of His Position (2 Kings 2:15And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
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1. The sons of the prophets saw the parting of the waters.
2. They concluded that Elisha had the spirit of Elijah.
3. They met him and bowed down before him.
4. THE PROPHETS SOUGHT TO FIND ELIJAH (2 Kings 2:16-18 [16] And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send. [17] And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not. [18] And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?
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1. The Prophets Requested to Seek Elijah (2 Kings 2:16And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.
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1. The fifty desired to seek for Elijah.
1. In case the Spirit had taken him
2. In case he had been set down in some other place
2. Elisha told them not to go.
2. Elisha Granted Permission to Go (2 Kings 2:17-18 [17] And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not. [18] And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?
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1. They continued to urge Elisha (2 Kings 2:17And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.
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2. Elisha then allowed them to go (2 Kings 2:17And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.
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3. They returned when they could find nothing (2 Kings 2:18And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?
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4. Elisha reminded them of his earlier command (2 Kings 2:18And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?
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5. ELISHA HEALED THE WATERS OF JERICHO (2 Kings 2:19-22 [19] And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren. [20] And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. [21] And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. [22] So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.
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1. Their Situation in the City (2 Kings 2:19And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren.
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1. A pleasant situation
2. A place without good water: the water was bad.
3. A place where the ground is barren.
1. If the water is bad, the land will not yield fruit.
2. Since water is often a picture of the word of God, this is a picture of a pretty practice of religion with a corrupt bible.
2. Elisha Healed the Waters (2 Kings 2:20-22 [20] And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. [21] And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. [22] So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.
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1. Elisha filled a cruse (a small container) with salt (2 Kings 2:20And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.
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2. Elisha cast the salt into the spring of waters (2 Kings 2:21And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.
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3. The Lord healed the waters (2 Kings 2:21-22 [21] And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. [22] So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.
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1. So that they brought forth no more death and barren land (2 Kings 2:21And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.
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2. According to the saying of Elisha (2 Kings 2:22So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.
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4. Salt is a type of preservation and incorruptibility. The answer to a barren land was a spring of waters preserved incorruptible (for application, see Psalm 12:6-7 [6] The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. [7] Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
   See All...; 1 Peter 1:23-25 [23] Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. [24] For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: [25] But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
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6. ELISHA CURSED THE MOCKING CHILDREN (2 Kings 2:23-25 [23] And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. [24] And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them. [25] And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.
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1. Little Children Mocked Elisha (2 Kings 2:23And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
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1. Elisha was going up to Bethel.
1. Bethel had been a special place of the presence of God.
2. It had become a place of idolatry (1 Kings 12:28-33 [28] Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. [29] And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. [30] And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. [31] And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi. [32] And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. [33] So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.
   See All...; Amos 3:14That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.
   See All...; Amos 4:4Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years:
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2. Children of the city mocked him.
3. They said, Go up, thou bald head.
1. They mocked the man of God.
2. They probably followed their parents in doing so.
2. Elisha Cursed the Children (2 Kings 2:24And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
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1. The curse of Elisha
1. He turned back.
2. He looked on them.
3. He cursed them in the name of the Lord.
2. The judgment of God
1. Two she bears came out of the wood.
2. Forty-two children were killed.
3. Elisha Continued His Journeys (2 Kings 2:25And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.
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1. To Mount Carmel – the place of Elijah’s greatest victory
2. Returned to Samaria

CONCLUSION: The Lord took Elijah to heaven, but he left a witness to His greatness on this earth in the person of Elisha. The Lord never leaves Himself without a man to witness for Him.