What A Great Way To Go

As they 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. Elisha saw this and cried out, "My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!" And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them apart. 2 Kings 2:9-12

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 1-3: Luke 24:1-35

I remember watching as Michael Jordan shoved Byron Russell and then pulled back for the game winning jumper to seal his sixth and final ring. When he hit that jumper I thought to myself… man… what a way to go out. He should retire after this.

But that was NOTHING compared to Elijah.

Fire seems to be a big thing with this guy. First he gets God to light that sacrifice up in a ball of flames. Then later on when king Ahaziah sent two companies of fifty men to bring Elijah to him he burnt them up! Folk were so scared of him that the leader of the third company hit him with this…

"Man of God," he begged, "please have respect for my life and the lives of these fifty men, your servants! 14 See, fire has fallen from heaven and consumed the first two captains and all their men. But now have respect for my life!" – 2 Kings 1:13-14

He was understandably shook.

So, how else would a man of this caliber go out in the end? Yep, that’s right… in a whirlwind of flames. God sends his chariots of fire and Elijah gets on and bounces. Kinda gives some context to the E-40 line in Tell Me When to Go.

“Imagine all the Hebrews going dumb, dancing on top of chariots and turning tight ones.” – Forty Water

Elijah did more than turn tight ones… dude dipped out in God’s limo. Only Enoch and Jesus can claim exits as player as his.

Well done sir. Well done.