Elijah and the Church: Gone in the twinkling of an eye
2 Kings 2:10-11 He said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so." (11) As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven.
Just like that, when the two of them are walking and talking, there is a sudden event and a sudden departure. Something happens really quickly. In the twinkling of an eye there is a separation and there is a departure. When you look at the life of Elijah, he is unique- apart from Enoch who had the same experience - he is the only other person that has been taken to heaven body, soul and spirit. Enoch was taken as he walked and talked with God, but no-one saw this event. But Elisha saw Elijah taken up bodily into heaven in the fiery chariot. This is why he is a type of the rapture. Two of them were together and then in an instant, one was gone - just like that! Chariots of fire separated them and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
1 Thessalonians 4 talks about The Coming of The Lord, that the dead in Christ will rise first and those who are still alive at Christ's coming shall all be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and caught up together with them to meet The Lord in the air. So Elijah is a type of the rapture of the church, and this why you see him on the Mount of Transfiguration with Moses and the Lord Jesus. Moses speaks about those who have died beforehand under the law. Elijah is a type of those that are raptured, but they are both taken to be with Christ in the clouds. Those that have died and those that are still alive are taken body soul and spirit and caught up to be with The Lord. So Elijah retraces his steps and comes to Jordan - and another miracle occurs - the Jordan is parted before them! He and Elisha cross over to the wilderness side and are out of the land of Israel. He is on the wilderness side of the Jordan when he is taken. It is possible that the reason that God led Elijah to the wilderness on the far side of Jordan was that the rapture which occurred there speaks of the church which consists mostly of gentiles. It is not a promise to Israel as a nation; they are waiting for the coming of their Messiah - which will occur at the end of the tribulation. This taking away of Elijah is a very great event, a really glorious departure. We may be caught up in the rapture or die first but yes, every Christian also has a glorious departure into heaven - from the greatest saint to the smallest, even though we can't see it. I was reminded of that story of the rich man Lazarus; remember that parable in Luke 16 - it talks about the poor man who had nothing but when he died it actually says that 'the angels carried him to Abraham's bosom' and I thought yes, from the greatest prophet like Elijah -who had such a marvelous departure, to the poorest beggars who are believers, the angels came for them. I was encouraged when I read that, because for every Christian the end is glorious.
2 Kings 2:12-13 Elisha saw it and cried out, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" And he saw Elijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. (13) He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
Elisha had been in training all of this time but now when one prophet goes it is another ones job to take up the work which he had been prepared to do. There is a good principle here that no matter what situation we find ourselves in we should always be ready to take up the work of God. It is interesting that when Elisha was with Elijah, Elijah was the spiritual head and Elisha just followed along. But there always comes a time when you have got to stand on your own two feet. Elisha now has his own Jordan to cross alone. Elijah had gone but God was still present and this why he prays 'Where is the Lord God of Elijah?' He didn't say 'Where is Elijah.' He said 'Where is the Lord God of Elijah.' Every one of us has their own Jordan to cross and you can only do that on your own, just as Elisha had to do it on his own. He faced his own Jordan and he crossed it with God.