Back to our scripture references: 2 Kings 2: 1-15 as we consider another fantastic experience of Elisha in Bethel, note even Bethel which means the house of God is not enough reason for one to settle down and play religion. there is an urgency in the spirit to come up hither for more revelational truth. Even though many are satisfied at Bethel, because of the abundant blessings and prosperity,there are a company of people like Elisha who will not take tarry here as an answer for a break through in life.
Verse 2-3: “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 in Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knoweth not that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head today? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.”
The heart of Elisha was proven here to see what exactly he was after. Elisha was not satisfied with just Gilgal experience. Surely, with this experience he knew better than an ordinary citizen of Israel. But he yearns for more of God’s purpose to be revealed to him. He could have settled down with this experience and teach people about circumcision, separation, holiness of life, sanctification unto Christ, salvation of soul. He would surely have a great following with the message of being born-again. So many Christians today do not know more than this salvation, holiness and sanctification experience.
Many christians are just satisfied with this experience and desire to know no more than this of Christ. But a people whom God raises for this last day ministry of End-time Elisha must seek for the fullness of Christ. Elisha refused to stay behind in Gilgal to be teaching circumcision experience to the sons of the prophets. He chose to move on with the apostolic and the prophetic ministries of the father established by Jehovah, typified in Elijah, unto His full purpose. They pressed on unto Bethel.
Elijah and Elisha finally arrived at Bethel where they stayed for a while. The sons of the prophets came in contact with the prophetic ministry of Elijah at Bethel.
What is Bethel in the anti-typical? What did God unveil to Elisha at this point of his journey with the prophetic? Bethel was a place where both Abraham and Jacob had encounters with God Almighty. It is a place of higher spiritual experience. In the divine parlance, Bethel speaks of a place of worship, a place of fellowship with God, a place of spiritual communion. Abram had a life-transforming encounter with the Lord at Bethel and he immediately built an altar of worship for Him there. Bethel became his reference point in his journey to the Promised Land.
Gen. 12:7-8: “And the Lord appeared unto Abram…and there builded he an altar unto the Lord who appeared unto him. 8 And 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.”
Gen. 13:3: “And he went on his journey from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning between Bethel and Hai.”
So also in Gen. 28:10-22 Jacob had a life-changing encounter with the Lord at Bethel and he too, without hesitation, raised an altar to Him right there with a commitment and pledge. Jacob by revelation called Bethel the house of God, the gate of heaven. It is a place of God’s Presence; a place of spiritual manifestation. It is a Pentecostal kind of experience.
Gen. 28:16-17, 19: “And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not… 17 How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. 19 And he called the name of that place Bethel…”
Elisha was initiated into a higher realm at Bethel where He could see God in a different light. A child of God who has experienced salvation of soul must be eager to experience the in-filling of God’s Spirit for a vital sweet fellowship with God. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God dwells in us and brings us into a vital fellowship with the Father and administers to us the wealth of the Godhead. With the Bethel experience, a child of God can as well operate in the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit.
This is a sweet experience for God’s people, but it is not the ultimate,there are better things ahead of us. We must have the heart of Elisha who refused to settle down in fantastic places of Experience in God, but rather pressed on to received the double portion of anointing/ Spirit of his master. Beloved let our hearts cry be Lord let the fullness of Christ power and life be seen in me. May the Lord burden our hearts to press on till we see him face to face in Jesus name Amen.
